Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, The Lansing Papers, 1914–1920, Volume I

763.72/2483½

The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador (Bernstorff)

Washington, February 19, 1916.

My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I desire to call your attention to the enclosed clipping which appeared in the Washington Post of Friday, February 18th, and seems to have been sent out by the International News Service. The particular portion of the article to which I desire to call your attention is the last two paragraphs in which the quotation marks indicate that the statement was made by an official of your Embassy.

As this statement appears to imply a lack of good faith on the part of this Government in the settlement of the Lusitania case, I would like to be advised as to the authenticity of the statement and also as to the official who is responsible for it.

I am [etc.]

Robert Lansing

[Enclosure]

Clipping From the “Washington Post,” February 18, 1916

The suggestion was made last night in diplomatic circles that the present attitude of the United States on the Lusitania controversy and the whole question of submarine warfare is based on political expediency. There are three reasons influencing the administration in its changed course, according to this diplomatic opinion. These are:

1. If Germany can be induced to consent to embody in her reply to the Lusitania note the assurances for the future conduct of submarine warfare he demands, President Wilson may claim a diplomatic victory.

2. If Germany insists on confining the Lusitania controversy strictly to the facts of that issue alone, negotiations can be drawn out until after the election next November.

3. The speech of Elihu Root, at the Republican State convention in New York, attacking the administration, has influenced the President to put on a bold front against the central empires.

Meantime negotiations looking to a settlement of the case have come to an abrupt halt. For the first time in the nine months that have elapsed since the dispatch, May 13, 1915, of the first Lusitania note officials of the German embassy have felt justified in assuming a frankly dilatory attitude.

One of these officials expressed the embassy’s viewpoint as follows:

“Until today Germany has supposed that the United States was sincerely anxious to settle the Lusitania case with the least possible delay. Now, however, it is apparent that this is not the situation.

“The United States has taken the view that an immediate settlement would be a favor to Germany. Quite the reverse is true. Indefinite postponement would put Germany in the tenth heaven of delight. The United States, now that it has made its position clear, can count on all the delay imaginable, so far as Germany is concerned.”