UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1916, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

SITUATION ACUTE. RUPTURE WITH GERMANY PROBABLE, OUTCOME OF GERMAN PIRACY. Received March 28, 9.35 p.m. Washington, March 27. The situation is acute. The Government is endeavoring to determine beyond doubt how the Sussex and the Englishman were destroyed. Following a conference with President Wilson and Mr. Lansing, a high official stated that diplomatic relations would probably be broken off if it were proved the Sussex was torpedoed. Before taking action President Wilson will lay the situation -before Congress, as the breaking off of relations would probably mean war. (A cable in another column states that the verdict at the inquest on the Sussex victims was that the vevsel was torpedoed.) \ FARCICAL. DEPARTMENT'S LATEST FOLLY, Received March 28, 6.5 p.m, Washington, March 2". If it be proved that a submarine sank the Sussex, the State Department will 'ask Germany to disavow the Act, offer reparation, and punish the submarine commander. Republican newspapers describe this as farcical. GERMANY'S APOLOGIES. SAYS SUSSEX WAS MINED. Received March 28, 11.45 p.m. Washington, March 28. The Associated Press correspondent announces authoritatively that Germany believes the Sussex was imined. If she was torpedoed, Germany is prepared to disavow the act and punish the commander. The correspondent states that Count Bcrnstorff had a good deal to do with the retirement of Admiral von Tirpitz, whose views on submarine warfare conflicted with his own.