763.72/2269a
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: I had a talk this morning with Ambassador Bernstorff in regard to the Lusitania matter. He is evidently far less hopeful of a settlement satisfactory to this Government of that case than of the Arabic case. I think I can understand this attitude in view of the telegrams which we have received from Berlin, and which you have undoubtedly seen, as to the disapproval of his Government of his action in admitting as much as he did. I believe he has been told by his Government that his conduct of that matter was not satisfactory. For that reason I did not feel that I could insist as strongly as I otherwise could that the German Government should admit the wrong and pay indemnity without the intervention of arbitration.
At the time that the Ambassador delivered to me the note which settled the Arabic question he also handed me for consideration a draft of a note in regard to the Lusitania.67 He again produced this draft and said that he felt sure that was as far as his Government could go in the matter. I told him that I would consider the draft further but that in its present form it would be unacceptable to this Government. I will, in a day or two, send you the draft with notes and suggestions as to what, it seems to me, would be satisfactory. The Ambassador said that any suggestions I might have he would have to refer to Berlin as he did not feel he was authorized to accept them without instructions.
I pointed out to him (the Ambassador) that in view of the fact that they had under their naval instructions ceased to attack passenger vessels I could see no practical reason why they should insist that the attack on the Lusitania was justifiable; that there might be a sentimental reason for this insistence in view of the natural dislike which a Government had to admit a wrongful act and that I realized the public opinion in Germany might criticise such an admission. I told him further that I was willing to go as far as possible to relieve that situation but that we also had to deal with public opinion [Page 489] in this country and that in the case of the Lusitania it was not a sentimental matter at all but a practical matter and that I thought his Government should admit liability for the loss of life. He said that he was convinced his Government would not make such an admission and that some other method would have to be found to determine liability. I also said to him that I thought the matter should be settled because we had already been extremely patient in the matter. He replied that if we insisted upon an admission of liability he did not believe it could be settled. I said that I regretted very much to have him say that as I felt that the question must be settled and very soon.
He left me with the understanding that I would go over the draft and communicate with him in a few days.
Faithfully yours,