Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1917 — U. S. REJECTS GERMAN OFFER [ARTICLE]

U. S. REJECTS GERMAN OFFER

Latest Proposal Is Regarded as Utterly Insincere —————. . • AMEICANS TO QUIT BELGIUM I ■ '» Orders From Civil Governor Terminates the Great Relief Work Being Done in That Country. Washington, D. C., February 13. —The United States has flatly rejected Germany’s offer to discuss differences between the two nations while the ruthless submarine campaign is in progress; In a note yesterday to the Swiss minister, who on Saturday presented orally the German proposal, Secretary Lansing said the United States “does not feel that It can enter Into any discussion with the German government concerning the policy of submarine warfare against neutrals which it is now pursuing, unless and until the German government renews Its assurances of the fourth of May (the Sussex note) and acts upon the assurances.”

The state department made public the secretary’s reply*, together with a memorandum which at Mr. Lansing’s suggestion Dr. Ritter, the Swiss minister, had prepared last night, setting down in writing the suggestion originally transmitted orally. In view of the fact that the United States has taken the most vigorous course possible short of war to denounce the ruthless submarine warfare, officials of i;he government regard the German proposal to negotiate while the campaign is in progress as utterly insincere. From the first the move has been looked upon and resented as a piece of propaganda, designed to becloud the Issue and put the United States into a false position of belligerency. Formal notification Of the re-de-tention in Germany of the seventytwo American sailors brought in as prisoners on the prize ship Yarrowdale, was given to the state department today by Dr. Paul Ritter, Swiss minister here, acting for the German government, together with an inquiry as to the status of the crews of the German war bound ships in American harbors. Germany, Dr. Ritter said, had decided to hold the Yarrowdale prisoner until she had had definite assurances that German crews in American harbors would not be held or imprisoned. This development, wholly unexpected, was amazing to the American government officials here who had come to the conclusion that the early reports which misled the German government as to the treatment of German crews here had been effectively dispelled by the forwarding of complete details. As this Included the Presidential announcement that German ships would not be seized now or in the event of war and full information about the fair attitude of the govi eminent toward the German sailors, officials are wholly at a loss tto know what kind of report could I have so suddenly changed Germany’s attitude. | - Expulsion by the German military authorities of the American : commission for relief in Belgium and northern France after its two iand a halt yeaffe of devoted service during which the greatest and inlost sustained relief work In his*tory was built up, was officially re-

■ ported to the state department yesterday in a telegram from Ambassador Page in London, ! The news was received here with profound regret, the development being regarded as one of the most deplorable of the many deplorable results which have flowed from Germany's announcement of unrestricted submarine warfare on January 31. Officials here refuse comment. They say that the facts speak for themselves. Germany has made the position of American relief workers untenable and the workers have fen withdrawn. There is ne * rse or palliative. The mil its Jthorltiea have spoken

and their voice must be heeded. The Americans who have been the backbone of the Belgian relief will retire. The work will pass into other hands, probably Spanish o? Dutch. This action has been feared ever since the break with Germany became inevitable. Indeed the gloom of its forecast has bgen one of the strongest deterrents which has stayed' the government’s hands in previous crises.