Evening star., 1928-12-24
SENSATIONAL WAR
CORRESPONDENCE is
MADE PUBLIC HERE
Continued From First Page.)

ing) He said that In his opinion, II
America were favorable to an idea Of
this kind, her good Offices. mediation
(call it what you like) would be well
come when the consideration of terms
of peace became possible"
The effort of Col. Edward M. House
to negotiate an agreement with Ger
many on submarine warfare restriction
in exchange for allied relaxation OF the
food blockade also is related. and the
blunt notice by Secretary Bryan to
that the latter's attempt to inject him
self into the neutral rights dispute be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain would not be tolerated. Later
an equally frank conversation between
Lansing, at the time counsellor Of the
State Department. and Sir Cecil Spring
Rice, British Ambassador, with Lansing
commenting on the unwiSdom Of the
allied food blockade, is covered in a
memorandum.
The most important notes in all Of
these interchanges and particularly
with regard to the sinking of the LuSi-
tania, were made public by the Ameri-
can Government at the time, The new
publication contains, however, wealth
Of related and supplementary material
of value to historians in tracing the
moves and circumstances that in 1915
were drawing the United States closer
and closer to the moment of interven-
ton in the war.
One incident presented for the first
time is that of the meeting between
Secretary Bryan and Ambassador Bern
storff in the Secretary'S office three
days after the Lusitania had been sunk,
with loss of many American lives, by
HIAyrAo oViVN
The Ambassador had called to ex-
press regret over the loss Of American
lives. A manuscript memorandum Of
the conversation was prepared by Bryan
in his own hand, except for one strik-
ing and significant part. It begins as
follows, in the Secretary's hand:
1.-THE Ambassador from Germany
called about IL 40 and"
At this point the handwriting ohHEges
to a heavier and sn..:;5wnat Shaky
script, but continuing the sentence and
with this continuation set off In quota
ton marks. It reads:
depressed his deep regret that
the events of the war had led to the
loss Of so many American lives"
Below, in Bryan'S handwriting, Is
this notation:
Words in quotation marks In Am
bassador's writing"
This document is part Of the Lusi-
tania correspondence. In the same
group and on the day of the Ambassa-
doris call on Bryan, May 10, there was
transmitted by Ambassador Gerard in
Berlin a copy of message from the
German foreign Office addressed to
Bernstorff and expressing the Berlin
governments sympathy at the loss of
American lives, but holding British food
blockade measures responsible for the
Lusitania sinking.
Cabled German Attitude.
On May II Gerard cabled his i'm
| preston amounting almost to GER
| tainty" that Germany would refuse to
, abandon submarine methods, although
| IN polite terms. He asked for instruc-
tions covering "all contingencies" I'm
der date of May 19 a message from
Col. House in London, headed rush for
the President" asked Gerard through
copy transmitted to Berlin to delay
| the German answer to the American
Lusitania note until a messenger reach
ed him with letter, but on the same
day House expedited that letter to
suggested that Germany be induced to
| propose in ther answer discontinuance
of submarine warfare on merchant YES
| sells and use of poison gas "f England
will permit foodStuffs in the near fu-
ture to go to neutral ports without
| question"
such a proposal from Germany at
| this time will give her great advantage,
| and in my opinion she will make a
grave mistake if she does not seize It,"
Col. House added.
Gerard reiterated the same day to
Washington his belief that Germany
would not abandon her submarine war
fare methods.
1.-The prospect of war with America
is contemplated with equanimity," he
said.
U. S. Rights Held Unaltered.
Secretary Bryan on May % informed
| Gerard that the House messages gave
reason to hope" for compromise be-
tween Germany and Great Britain. He
instructed the Ambassador to renew
previous American identic proposals to
the two governments, enlarged to in
clude abandonment of poison gas, but
at the same time to make it clear that
mo matter what England does to Ger
many or Germany to England, our
rights are unaltered and we cannot
abate them In the least"
On the preceding day Gerard cabled
Bryan that Zimmerman told me yes
terday" that DR.. Dumba had cabled
that you (Bryan) had told him
LuSltania note was not meant in earnest
and was only sent as sop to public
opinion"
Bryan replied May "a that there was
mo justification" for such a statement
and that a denial would be obtained
from Dumba and cabled. He directed
Gerard to inform the German govern
ment that "it must not for moment
misunderstood the language or. intent"
OF the American LuSitania note. On
the same day Bryan informed Presi-
dent Wilson by memorandum Of this
incident and later in the day transmit
ted for Dumba his denial, which con-
cluded with the statement to the Ger
man government that it would be "a
great mistake to minimize the earnest
ness of this protest (the American
note)."
Text Of Memo Sent.
Bryan also transmitted on that day
the text of his memorandum of his
original conversation with Dumba,
verified by the latter, adding;
MY statement Tin that conversation)
that there is no desire for war in this
country was brought out by his assur-
ance that Germany did not desire war,
and was anxious to maintain diplomatic
relations
On May IS Gerard Informed Bryan
that Germany had extended her de-
mands to inclusion of cotton, copper,
rubber and other raw materials not en-
tering directly into manufacture of war
munitions, as well as food in the pro-
jected relaxation of the British neutral
port blockade.
This disposes of the proposition If
you mean that the British government
is willing to allow foodstuffs, but not
raw materials to enter Germany in re-
turn for cessation Of torpedoing of
merchant ships without notice by SUBJ