| Show I HOLDS UP op ANSWER Secretary Denies That Conte Contents of Submarine he Communication Have ia Been Given to Public OPINION GUARDED B Believed That President PresidentS S Will Insist on St Strict Interpretation ion of Rules of International Law taw LawS S WASHINGTON Feb 29 29 Secretary Lansing today issued ssu ssu d' d the following Corn formal fornal al statement In view of the publication this tillS morning of pf what purports to tobe tobe tobe be the view of the state department on the communication received yesterday from from the German ambassador I r wish to say that the contents of or tho com orn communication E have not been made public by me me and and- that a any y statement a aa as to to the views of the state stat department on on the communication are absolutely un II authorized S I r have made no comment pressed pressed no opinion in regard to the he matter Germanys Germany's latest formal note de- de bp aia uran n marine warfare given in the Lusita Lusitania ia case have not be been n modified by by- her announced intention to krat- krat anin armed d enemy m merchant ships as as- as aUX auxiliary I cruisers after midnight tonight was waS waS' before President Wilson and ard his hs cabinet cab cab- inet met for tor consideration today The state department was understood understood understood under under- stood to feel that possibility of difficulties difficulties dif dit- dif dif- arising in the near future as asa asa a a. result of the new German and Austrian Austrian Aus Ails trian policy is more or les less remote Secretary Lansing to took k with him to the White House a pouch understood to contain the German memorandum and other papers relating to the case It was indicated In tn well Informed 1 quarters that the president would insist in- in in-a in I on a strict Interpretation of the rules of international law as applying to Germanys Germany's new submarine warfare Information forwarded from Berlin purporting to contain proof that the British admiralty had instructed captains cap cap- of armed merchant ships to at attack attack at- at tack submarines had not arrived Lansing said The rhe delay was believed to to be due to conditions resulting from the war The communication was discussed in detail at today's cabinet and meeting and at a separate conference between President Wilson and Secretary Lansing Lansing Lansing Lan Lan- sing but no conclusion was reached It was decided to await data Orith n th way from Berlin BerHn regarding instruct Hons alleged to have been issued by the British admiralty to merchant merchant cap cap for attacks on submarines Cab Cabinet net members carefully avoided questions of whether Germanys Germany's position position position tion as outlined by Count von Bernstorff Bernstorff Bern- Bern in a note to Secretary Lansin Lansing yesterday was acceptable o Jo 0 the American government It ws was Said daid that merely the facts were laid before beCore the cabinet without any effort being made to arrive at a decision |
