UNITED STATES

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144779, 8 September 1915, Page 3

UNITED STATES

JUDGMENT SUSPENDED. AS TO LOSS OF HESPERIAN. (Received Sept. S, 8.5 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 7. Judgment as to the sinking of the Hesperian is suspended pending the complete investigation. Officials are indisposed to question the good faith of the recent qualified assurance by the German Government that commanders of submarines had been ordered to attack no more liners without warning. GERMANY’S PEACE TALK. MERELY MEANT TO DECEIVE. -NEW YORK, Sept. 6. Americans realise that the loose peace talk which has recently been given prominence in the newspapers is the direct result of a German propaganda. The opinion is apparently prevalent in Europe that the Americans have been bamboozled, and that President Wilson has possibly been ensnared by German subtlety. It is an inoorreet suggestion that President Wilson and the Pope are actively co-operating for the framing of peace, and the reported overtures are a mere illusion. America realises that the propaganda has sought to show that Germany is desirous of ending the bloody struggle, and that only England is blocking tne way for settlement, and also to secure for Germany nmoh-need-ed financial and diplomatic help from neutrals. Nine out of ten Americans believe that the Allies are fighting for the most cherished ideals of civilisation, and regard Prussianism as a menace to the western world. LONDON, Sept. 7. Reuter’s correspondent at Washington says the facts are that the Pope cabled Cardinal Gibbons the Vatican’s views on peace, and instructed him to deliver them to President Wilson. Thus, technically the Pope’s message was addressed to Cardinal Gibbons, not to President Wilson. The Pope desired to learn President Wilson’s views informally prior to a formal message. The Times’ Washington correspondent says that responsible, opinion- regards the German peace talk as Gorman duplicity and insulting to American intelligence, and also that doubts have arisen whether the much acclaimed submarine surrender is not tarred with the same brush. Important newspapers are now pointing out obvious omissions in Count Bernstorff’s Note. .Statements have been made in some quarters that Berlin is withholding comprehensive concessions until President Wilson takes action against the British blockade, and this does not strengthen American confidence. The Times’ New York correspondent says that Germany is still discussing peace through the American press, but President Wilson does not expect now, or in the near future, to take any steps m the direction of mediation. The unofficial announcements from London, Paris and Petrograd that the Allies are inflexibly resolved. to fight until victory Js won is considered to automatically dispose of Cardinal Gibbons’ appeal. THE POPE NOT OFFICIALLY INVOLVED. ROME, Sept. 6. The Pope has not sent a letter to President Wilson, but awaits a favourable moment for mediating. Mediation by America would be unsuitable, because the American policy tends towards' the Entente. Mediation is only possible by a country not committed towards the Entente, such as Switzerland, Spain, or Scandinavia. THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR. (Received Sept. 8, 10.50 a.m.) ’ WASHINGTON, Sept. 7. The Austrian Ambassador called on Mr. Lansing and explained that the dispatches captured by the British ware from an American war correspondent en route from Vienna to New York and did not affect American neutrality. The suggestion therein that AustroHungarians should refuse to engage in the production of war munitions in America unless willing to risk imprisonment if they returned to Austria was explained by the Ambassador as merely a technical measure usually issued to Austrian subjects. GOLD SENT PROM BRITAIN. NOT WARMLY WELCOMED. (Received Sept. 8, 11.10 a.m.) . NEW YORK, Sept. 7. Thirteen millions sterling of British gold has arrived in New York from England to rectify the British Exchange. Bankers bare not welcomed its arrival, as the United States has already more gold than can he utilised. Bankers fear speculation, and would much prefer Britain, to borrow money from the United States to pay their debts, giving American bankers American securities as collateral. The sterling exchange is still lower now, at 4 dollars 65 cents. PRESIDENT WILSON. EXTREMELY JUDICIAL ATTITUDE. (Received Sept. 8, 11.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 7. President Wilson prefers to take Germany’s assurances about submarine warfare at their face value, and will not protest against the torpedoing of the Hesperian if it is disclosed that the German commander of the submarine had not been warned by his Government or if the Hesperian was armed.