Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-02-16

AiNhb mas duNlStu tue G6Imdu govern
ment that China will break off diplo-
matte relations If the new submarine
measures are pursued.
Washington.-Germany has initiated
overtures to the United states to
avert war between the two nations. 1t
is not understood that the Berlin gov
eminent has proposed any modifica-
ton of its ruthless submarine cam
paign and officials here say they can
not enter upon such a discussion while
vessels continue to be destroyed in vi
olation Of international law. Late Sat
urday afternoon DR.. Ritter, the Swiss
minister, now in charge of German af-
fairs in this country, communicated
to the State Department an informal
message from the German government
stating that Berlin is willing to con-
slider suggestions to promote the safe
ty of Americans and American ships
in the new submarine war zone.
DR.. Ritter explained that he was not
authorized to go into details but mere
ly to say that suggestions from the
United States as to the means of pro-
tecting Americans and American prop
erty from injury by German subma-
rines would be welcomed by the Ger
man government.
The Swiss envoy talked with Coun-
selor Polk, who Immediately laid the
matter before Secretary of State Lam
sing. President Wilson then was ad-
vised of the move made by Germany.
Although no definite answer was
given, the President was represented
as holding that all the suggestions
for insuring the safety of Americans
in the war that it is possible
to give have been given to Germany
by the United States and that the dis
regard of these suggestions is what
led to the rupture. The United States,
DR.. Ritter was informed, sees no way
in which the German government can
assure Americans of Safety without
abandoning the sinking of merchant
men without warning.
DR.. Ritter's move is believed by
many administration officials to be a
harbinger of more definite proposals
by Germany to bring about a recon
Citation with the United States and
avert the danger OF war.
President Wilson takes the position
that no Overtures by Germany are nee
sssary and that if Germany desires TO
avert wal she can accomplish that pur-
pose most effectively by abandoning
the ruthless torpedoing of merchant
men.
Arrangements have been completed
for the departure from New York to-
morrow of Count Won Bernstorff and
his staff on board the steamship Fred
erick VIII for Chr stiana, Norway.
Agents of the Observation-Disclosures
line in New York received permission
Of the wners in Copenhagen to use
the vessel to carry the German ambas-
sador across the Atlantic,
Four steamers, ~aggregating 1885
tons, sunk or believed to have been
sunk, constituted the harvest of the
German submarine campaign Satur-
day. Three of these were British, the
Manitoba, 6,S26 tons; the Burlington,
2,816 tons; and the Beechtree, 1,277
tons. The fourth was the Norwegian
steamer Solbakken, 2,616 tons. This
is an increase of upward of 5000 tons
over the amount of tonnage destroyed
Friday.
The total number Of vessels de-
stroyed in the period of submarine
operations of Feb. 1 to 8, inclusive, is
said to be eighty-nine, of which TWEEN
ty-one were neutral vessels. During
that period, 1t is stated, more than
LOO vessels arrived at or sailed un-
harmed from ports of the United
Kingdom.
Sweden, Spain and Switzerland have
been active in Berlin seeking to influ-
ence Germany to make an effort to
conciliate the United States.
Two American vessels, the Roches-
ter and Orleans, left New York on
Saturday for Bordeaux. Neither of
them was painted with red and white
stripes as the German government had
prescribed. The American line an
nounced that none Of that company's
ships would be sent across the Allan
tic unless the United States govern
ment provided conveys or guns and
gunners to protect the vessels.