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Show GERMAN ANSWER MAY BEDELAYED Austro Italian Sltuat on Is Expected to Absorb Attention at Berlin This Week and Delay Final Composition of Response to American Note Washington, May 18. Two Important Impor-tant factors, It becanio known tonight aro working to delay 'for anothor week Germany's reply o tho American Ameri-can no to of May 13, sent as a conso-quenco conso-quenco of tho Lusltanta disaster. First, tho next few days nro expected ex-pected to dotldo whether Germany will bo confronted with n now military mili-tary situation by tho cutrnnco If Itnly In tho war and tho cutting off of nil supplies through tho Mediterranean. Second,- Interested diplomatists hero bellevo tho interim of dolay will reveal whethcr-the United States of-Its of-Its own Initiative will send a general protest to tho allies with -"respect to- tholr alleged vlo'latlons'of Indentation"-nl Indentation"-nl law by Interfering with commerce between American ports and noutral countries of Europe Officials hero genorally think tho Austro Itnllan situation may absorb tho attontlon of tho Gorman government govern-ment during thU week and delay tho final composition of the reply. Such Information as tho United States government gov-ernment recently has rocolvcd Is of a posltlvo naturo Indicating that Italy Boon will enter tho war, though In Austro Gorman quarters hero there stilt is confldonio that a break will bo averted. Would Cut Off Wheat Supply It Is realized that should Italy become be-come a belligerent Germany would lose all hope of securing foodstuffs or othor supplies through tho, Mediterranean Mediter-ranean and if Routnanla followed Italy's -lead, ns predicted, tho wheat supply from southeastern Europo would bo cut off. In such clrcum-stnncos clrcum-stnncos of nlniOBt complete Isolation it was oxplalned In diplomatic quarters. quar-ters. Germany would find tho submarino sub-marino ovon moro Invaluable a weapon wea-pon for reducing enemy supplies and commerce Tho Idea that tho United States will sond n noto to tho allies seoklng modifications of their ordor In coun- ell has Its origin In quarters where tho conviction Is held thnt a movo at this tlmo would donionstrato to Gor-many Gor-many tho Intention of tho Unltod States to bo equally vigorous In an Inslstcnco on tho observance of neutral neu-tral rights by Great Britain and bar allies, ranking unnecessary nn offer by Germany to return to tho rules of marltlmo laws If tho allies did llko wlso. May Hold Up Notes to Britain Without doflnlto Information thoro Is a dlsposltlin in well informed quarters quar-ters hero to bellovo that tho President, Presi-dent, who returns to Washington on Thursday, will withhold any contemplated contem-plated representations to England until un-til Gcrmnny's roply Is received, bo-causo bo-causo of a dcslro to obtain a frank understanding with tho latter country on the points raised hi tho Amorican note without complicating them with tho situation as botwocn tho Unltod States and tho allies. It Is known that for several weoks thero have boon under preparation two notes eventually to bo sont to Groat Britain, Bri-tain, ono dealing with tho gonornl subject of contraband as a conso-quonco conso-quonco of tho corrospondonio begun on Docombor 20, with tho first Amerl- (Continued on page four) German Answer MaybeDelayed (Continued fiom pago ono) can protest, and tho other embracing general representations on detention ot vessels plying between neutral ports carrying noncontrabnnd American Ameri-can goods. Sccrotary Bryan said today that from twenty to thirty ships hnd been detained by tho allies, moat of thtun carrying cotton. IIo explained tho stato department wns not yet In possession it nil tho facts nnd was Investigating. In diplomatic quarters friendly to Germany It Is confidently believed that tho German reply to tho United Unit-ed States will bo conciliatory and mnko broad confessions In principle If It Is certain that strong efforts will bo mado to Induce tbo allies to abandon their commercial embargo. Submarine Operations Suspended Tbero Is little fear now that any passenger ships will bo torpedoed while tho diplomatic discussions arc In progress, because It was 'folntcd out that since, tlio suggestions. of tbu German and Austrian cmbasslqs her.) that tho submarine operations 'bo wis-peudod wis-peudod has reached Berlin nnd Vlcn na, thcro has bcon no such attack, although many opportunities apparently appar-ently bad presented themselves. |