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Show GERMANY DESIRES TO END CONTROVERSY Settlement of the Lusitama Case Now Expected Soon After Christmas WASHINGTON Dec 29 Ivew rro posals from Ce ma y for a settle nent of the L s t n a o t o e wh ch the Berl n fore i, a ofhec ores will e ac ceptable to tho L rated Statos are ex pected to be re&e te to tbo 6tate department next week It s under fctood the negot at ons between feecre tirv Lans ng an 1 Count on Bern stor,ff the German embassador recent 1 urogr sscd to a pouit vherc a set tlement -nas ipectod'at Chrstmas lola i a Ba 1 the C erman ropos als resulting om thebO on e sat ons p obably would urn e soon fter New lear s day Information recei ed he e nd cates that the Berlin fore gn oft o s anx ous to end the controversy in spite of public op nion sa d to have been caused by the n erican equest for the withdrawal of the Uern an naval and mil tarv attaches and the demands upon Austr a II ngary as a result of the s nkin of the Ancona The present status of the negot a Uons is very closely guarded The United States has contended all along for a disavowal of the sinking of the Lusitania and reparat on for the Amer ican 1 ves lost A proposal by Germany to arbitrate the question of indemnity was reject ed It has since been suggested that Germany m ght mako reparation with the understanding that it would m olve no admission of wrongdoing It is understood that no agreement will sat sfy the Lmted btates unless it contains something m the nature of a disavowal but Germany contends that her instructions to submarine commanders to discontinue such attacks as that on the Lusitania is the most effective disavowal that could be given. It is regarded here as especially sig nifloant that a settlement of the Lusi tanla case should become imminent at a time when -Teutonic diplomatic eir cles are represented as being prepared for a diplomatic break between the United States und Atutna-Hungary A clearing up of the Lusitania case officials belipve would have an impor taut bearing on the controversy now pending with Vienna. That situation remained tonight unchanged without word from Embassador Penfleld or any official indication of when Austria J reply to Secretary Lansing a renewed demands might be expected. |