South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-22
Offer Under Existing CiTCum-
stances Held by Official
Circles to be a DELHI
crate Insult.
NATIONAL HONOR OF
COUNTRY IS AFFECTED
Minister of Bolivia Announces
That His Country is Ready
to Go All the Way
With u. S.
International News Service


WASHINGTON. March p. - Re
port that neutral nations had offered
10 mediate the differences between
the United States and Germany.
given widespread circulation here
today. caused intense anger In Of
fetal circles. The offer. under eX-
listing circumstances was character
lied as a deliberate insult"
1t was recalled that when a similar
suggestion was made after the sink
ing Of the Lusitania, Pres't Wilson
personally declared that the United
States could not either mediate OF
arbitrate the murder OF its citizens"
That was the opinion OF the Of
icials OF the government at this
time IL is the opinion now.
First OfTer Rejected.
The suggestions in connection
with the offer were in many respects
parallel 90 those which marked the
offer purported 10 have been father
ed by Germany Immediately after
Count Won BernstOrff was handed
his passports. In these Dr. Paul
Ritter informally suggested 20 the
United States that Germany wanted
TO reopen the submarine situation
and make concessions TO the United
States At that time the report was
widely spread by interested parties
and was denied officially by Sec'y OF
state Lansing Later Or. Ritter
made the formal offer 10 Counsellor
TO the State Department Frank l.
n
offer being reduced 20 writing and
then the United States rejected il.
Within a short time Germany Of
hcially denied that DIT Ritter had
authority 10 speak for II.
The mediation suggestion TODAY
followed the same source. Sec'y OF
state Lansing insisted that he had
never heard of any such offer"
First Asst Sec'y OF state Phillips
said that he knew nothing about
It,"
White house officials claimed that
IL was news 10 them.
sure 90 Dr. Rejected.
one thing was made certain by
all OF them. Such an offer al this
time could be considered as nothing
more than an effort 70 prevent the
United States continuing its plans
for defense and when it formally
is presented-If IL is-it VIII be re-
jected
The questions between Germany
and the United States. a cabinet
member this afternoon pointed out.
affect the national honor or the
United states. Congress - through
the senate-alread is on record a.
declaring that questions or honor are
not arbitrable. This record was
made when the famous Taft treaties
were rejected because they went too
far along arbitration lines
Incidentally significant ~ the
Changing situation in South America.
where German influence has been
supposed 20 be extremely strong.
came the announcement today ~
DR. Don Ignacio Calderon. minister
from Bolivia and dean OF the Latin
Americans who. following a con-
ference with Sec'y Lansing. said this
afternoon:
Bolivia has decided 20 20 all the
way with the United states. What
ever action the United states takes
will find sympathy and support with
nv government and ] believe with
all South American nations. We
favor mediation OF international
disputes. but not under existing cir
cumstances."
Expect War Destination.
NIeanv lille the diplomatic repre-
sentatives or the entente today de-
cIared themselves well satisfied that
the United States viii declare war
On Germany so soon as congress
meets. 80 other action IS possible
i'm their opinion. they said. although
they admitted that it still was eN-
tremely doubtful what position this
government would take IN it's hostile
program. Most OF them believe that
The financial assistance or the
United states viii be sufficient OF
crush Germany although they are
hopeful that the United States navy
viii be given a leading part IN clear
ing the steamer lanes n the oceans.
The state department today was