The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-02-23
U. 3. REFUSES
WM MM M#WM MMMMMMMM
W MM#N# W W WM M W W~ W NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. a# VIVIAN
TO NEGOTIATE
HIM
@M WWN@IW M WMMMWWW m
Turns Down Overture From Ger.
many Made Through Swiss.
r. AIMING TO ARM u. S. SHIPS
State Department Recommends That
Guns g. Provided For Merchant
rren--Germans Gust American
Relief Commission From
Belgium

Washington The United States haE
fatty rejected Germany's offer to dis
cuss differences between the two na
tions while the ruthless submarine
campaign is in progress.
In IA note To the Swiss Minister, who
presented orally the German proposal
Secretary Lansing said The United
States docs not feel that 1t can enter
into any discussion with the German
Government concerning the policy of
! submarine warfare against neutrals
which lit il now pursuing, unless and
until the German Government renews
it, assurances of the fourth of May
Y (the Sussex motel and acts upon the
assurances"
The State Department made public
the Secretary's reply, together with a
memorandum which, AIT Mr. LansinG's
suggestion, DR.. Ritter, the Swiss Min
lister, had prepared, setting in writing
the suggestion originally transmitted
orally.
Text Of Communication Exchanged
The State Department gave out a
statement A. follows
I'm view OF the appearance i'm the
newspapers of February IT. of report
that Germany was initiating negotia-
lions with the United States in regard
tO submarine warfare, the Department
OF State makes the following state
ment:
Suggestion was made orally To the
Department of State late Saturday
afternoon by the Minister of SWitzer-
land that the German Government IS
willing to negotiate with the United
States, provided that the commercial
blockade against England would not BE-
interfered with. At the request of the
Secretary of State, this suggestion was
made in writing and presented to him
by the Swiss Minister Sunday night
The communication il a. follows.
Memorandum: The Swiss Govern
ment has been requested by the Ger
man Government To say that the lat
ter is now, as before, willing to ne
gotiate, formally OH informally, with
the United States, provided that the
commercial blockade against England
will mot ID broken thereby.
p. RITTER
This memorandum was given ina
mediate consideration and the follow
ing reply was dispatched;
MY Dear Mr. Minister: u am re
quested by the President to say to you.
which you were kind enough to send
to me on the 18th instant, that the
Government or the United States
would gladly discuss with the German
Government any questions i'll might
propose for discussion were it to with
January, In which, suddenly and with
out previous intimation of any kind,
II Cancelled the assurances which III
had given this Government on the 4th
of May last; but that lit does not feel
that it can enter into any discussion
with the German Government concern
ing the policy OF submarine warfare
against neutrals which it is now pur-
suing unless and until the German
Government renews its assurances Of
Tho Attn of May and acts upon the
assurance
No other interchange on this sub
ject has taken place between this Gov
eminent and any other government or
person
The question whether navy guns
shall b. provided for American ship
owners desiring to arm their vessels
for defense against submarines has
been submitted To President Wilson by
the State and Navy Departments. 1t
A. understood that the State Depart
ment, the Governments spokesman on
international problems, has recon-
mended that the guns be provided.
Relief Commission Ousted.
Expulsion by the German military
authorities of the American Commits
sion for Relief in Belgium and North
ern France, after its two and half
years of devoted service, during which
the greatest and most sustained relief
work in history was built up, was off,
cially reported To the State Depart
ment in telegram from Ambassador
Page in London. The news was re-
ceiyed here with profound regret, the
development being regarded as one of
the most deplOrable of the many d.
plorable results which have flowed
from Germany's announcement of IN
restricted submarine warfare on Jan
uary 81.