Salt Lake Tribune | 1915-10-03 | Page 14 | Danger of Break Appears Averted

DANGER Of BREAK I APPEARS AVERTED Secretary Lansing Personally Personal-ly Receives Note From Von Bernstorff. RELATES TO ARABIC Belief Expressed That Germany Ger-many Admits the Error of Submarine Commander. j NEW VuRK, Oct. 2. Danger of an irti mediate break between the United States and Germany over the torpc-d torpc-d ui n g of the Arabic, wit h a 1 ose of two American lives, ha been averted by the assurances contained in a note received personally here today by Secretary Sec-retary I arising from Count von Bernstorff, Bern-storff, the German embassador. Neithor the seerotary of state nor the German embassador would make any statement. The embassador was with Mr. Lansing Lan-sing only a few minutes, during which the latter did not express any view on the note, assuring Count von Bernstorff ho would notify him of the time for the next conforenee after he had studied the communication carefully. Inference Is Clear. There was nothiug to indicate that the new German note met entirely the viewpoint of the United States, but inasmuch in-asmuch as the American oycj-nmcnt made it clear to Count von Bernstorff, informally, that disavowal of the sinking sink-ing of the Arabic was absolutely necessary neces-sary before there could be any further negotiation or arbitration of the amount of indemnity, the general inference was that the Berlin foreign office had taken the view that the German submarine commander must have erred in assuming assum-ing that the Arabic was intent on a hostile act when going to the rescue of the British steamer Dunsleyj. It was pointed out as significant in i iermaii quarters that when the German Ger-man government sent its first note on the Arabic offering to arbitrate the rpiestions of fact in the case, the evidence evi-dence collected by the American government gov-ernment was not before it. Since that time the data carefully obtained by the United States and held by the Washington Wash-ington government to be absolutely conclusive con-clusive that tli e Arabic was not attempting at-tempting rn mm the German submarine, hps been placed before the Berlin foreign for-eign office. May Seek Arbitration. Tho prevalent view tonight was that Germany had admitted the error of her submarine commander, but wished to arbitrate the extent to which Germany Ger-many was liable under the circumstances circum-stances for a mistake. Whether this would be satisfactory has never been indicated by Washington officials, though it has been made plain that the principles involved would not be made the subject of discussion in an arbitral tribunal. Count von Bernstorff, at his hotel, appeared much pleased with the contents con-tents of the new note, which probably will be published in a day or two. He announced that he expected to return to Washington with his embassy staff at the end of the present month. AJthough it had .been reported that Secretary Lansing would discuss with the German embassador the case of Captain von Papen, the German military mili-tary attache, it was learned authoritatively authorita-tively that the subject was not mentioned. men-tioned. Secretary Laneing has not yet had an opportunity to examine the documents carried by James F. J. Archibald, Ar-chibald, irj which were letters from Captain von Papen. - -- - - -