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Show GS FLATLY REFUSED (Xovernment at Washington Wash-ington Will Not Discuss Dis-cuss Differences Between Be-tween the Two Countries Coun-tries While Ruthless Submarine Campaign Is in Progress. RITTER PRESENTS TEUTON PROPOSAL Swiss Minister, Who Now Represents the Kaiser in This Country, Coun-try, Is Presented With Firm Reply to Be Forwarded For-warded to Berlin. WASHINGTON", Feb. 12. The United States has flatly rejected Germany's offer of-fer to discuss differences between the two nations while the ruthless submarine 'paign is in progress. In a note .today to the Swiss minister, w ho on Saturday presented orally the Gennan proposal, Secretary Lansing said rrHj;nited States docs not feel it can enter Into any discussion with the German Ger-man government concerning the policy of submarine warfare against neutrals iv hi oh It la now pursuing unless the German Ger-man government renews its assurances of the 4th of May (the Sussex note), and acts upon the assurances. j The state department made public the secretary's reply, together with a memo- randum which at Mr. Lansing's suggestion sugges-tion Dr. Ritter, the Swiss minister, had prepared last night setting down In writing writ-ing the suggestion originally transmitted orally. Previously officials had declined to confirm the announcement by the Associated As-sociated Press Saturday afternoon that euch a proposal had been delivered by Dr. Hitter. Regarded as Insincere. WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. In view of the fact that the United States lias taken the most vigorous course possible short of war to denounce, the. ruthless submarine subma-rine warfare, officials of the government regard the German proposal to negotiate while the campaign Is In progress as utterly ut-terly insincere. From the first the move has been looked upon and resented as a piece of propaganda, designed to becloud the iFsue and put the United States in a false position of belligerency. The question of whether navy guns shall be provided for American ship owners own-ers desiring to arm their vessels for defense de-fense against submarines has been submitted sub-mitted to President Wilson by the state and navy departments. H is understood that the state department, the government's govern-ment's spokesman on International prob-swlems, prob-swlems, has recommended that the guns be There Is said to be no authority under which the navy department can actually supply the guns, though there are precedents prece-dents for the loaning of weapons under bond for their return. .Under existing law only condemned guns and stores can be sold by the navy. Statement Given Out. The state department gave out a statement state-ment as follows: "In view of the appearance in the newspapers of February n of a report that Germany was initiating negotiations with the United Stales In reeard to submarine sub-marine warfare, the department of state makes the following statement: "A suggestion was made orallv to the department of state late Saturday afternoon after-noon by the minister of Switzerland that the German government is willing to negotiate ne-gotiate with the United States, provided that the commercial blockade against Knsland would not he interfered with At the request of the secretary of state this Biigsestion was made in writing and presented pre-sented to him by the Swilss minister Sun-flay Sun-flay night. The communication is as follows: fol-lows: " 'Memorandum : " "The Swiss government has been requested re-quested by the German government to eay that the latter is now, as before willing to negotiate, formally or informal' ly. with the United States, provided that the commercial blockade against EnelaAd . will not he broken thereby. s na " '(Signed) p. RITTER.' Reply of United States. "This memorandum was given Immedi-i Immedi-i ate consideration and the following rerlv was dispatched torhty: , " 'My Pear Mr. Minister: " 'I am requested by the president to i nay to you, on acknowledging the niemo- j randum which you were kind enough to send me on the llth instant, that the government of the United States would gladly discuss with the German gov em - IHm'"tt any questions it might propose for is. Mission were it to withdraw its roclamatlon of the 31st of January, tn -hich. suddenly and without previous itlmation of any kind, it canceled the (Continued on Page Two, OFFER OF GERMANY ! IS FLATLY REFUSED (Continued from Page One.) assurances which it had eriven this government gov-ernment on the 4th of .Vay hist; but that it does not feel that it can entpr into any discussion with the German government govern-ment conrerninar t.he policy of submarine warfare against neutrals which it is now pursuing unless and until the German 1 government renews its assurances of ihe j 4th of .May and a-ts i:p-n the assurance.' "Xo other interchn nge on this subject has taken place between this government! and any other government or person." 1 |