GERMANY’S ANSWER

Southland Times, Issue 17965, 5 March 1917, Page 5

GERMANY’S ANSWER

GERMANY AND MEXICO. INSTRUCTIONS TO THE GERMAN MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) AMSTERDAM, March 3. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. A German semi-official statement declares that it is not only the right, but the duty, of the Government to approach Mexico as a counter-poise to the United States joining the Allies. •The German Minister in Mexico has been instructed not to take steps until he is certain that the United States is declaring war. The German press has been debarred from commenting on the Mexican revelations. This restriction has caused a bad Impression, and it is considered possible that Herr Zimmerman will be forced to resign and Count Bernstorff to retire. WAR SAID TO BE INEVITABLE. LONDON, March 3. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. Le Temps quotes an American Embassy officer who stated that war with Germany was Inevitable.. WHAT AUSTRIA’S REPLY WILL BE. DICTATED PROM BERLIN. LONDON, March 3. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. The Daily Telegraph’s Milan correspondent states that Austria’s Reply to the American Note on submarines Is expected to-morrow, and will follow the usual Teutonic sophistry, using the British blockade as a pretext for piracy. The Reply will be really dictated from Berlin.

JAPAN RECEIVED NO PROPOSAL. AN OUTRAGEOUS PRESUMPTION. TOKIO, March 3. Received Marcli 4, 5.5 p.m. The Foreign Minister states that he received no proposal to join a possible war against the United States. It was an outrageous presumption to suppose that Japan would abandon the Allies. JAPANESE ASSURANCES AMERICA NO CAUSE POR FEAR (The Times.) ‘ LONDON, March 3. Received March 4, 5.6 p.m. The Japanese Ambassador in London has Informed the correspondent of the Philadelphia Public Ledger that he regarded as contemptible the Mexican intrigue which should be treated with scorn and ridicule. An .Embassy official said that the revelation should cause Americans to realise once and for all that they had as little cause to fear the Japanese as have the dominions of the Pacific, which Japan was assisting to defend.