in
praise of the German note; to the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung it
appeared a "sincere effort to meet the questions involved" and as
"eminently satisfactory." The New Yorker Herold thought that any one
with "even a spark of impartiality" would have to admit the "quiet,
conciliatory tone of the German note" as "born of the consciousness in
the heart of every German that Germany did not want the war"; that
after it was forced on her she "waged it with honorable means." The
Illinois Staats-Zeitung of Chicago declared it to be the "just demand
of Germany" that Americans should not "by their presence on hostile
boats try to protect war materials to be delivered by a friendly
nation at a hostile shore." From the Cincinnati Freie Presse came the
comment that Washington "has no business to procure safety on the
ocean for British ships carrying ammunition."

The American newspapers were nearly unanimous in adverse criticism of
the note. THE NEW YORK TIMES said that Germany's request was "to
suspend the law of nations, the laws of war and of humanity for her
benefit." The Chicago Herald declared that the German answer "is
disappointing to all who had hoped that it would clearly open the way
to a continuance of friendly relations." While the San Francisco
Chronicle discerned in the note "an entire absence of the belligerent
spirit," it found that "Germany is asking us to abridge certain of our
rights on the high seas." To the Denver Post the reply was the
"extreme of arrogance, selfishness, and obstinacy," while The Atlanta
(Ga.) Constitution remarks that German words and German deeds are
separate matters: "The all-important fact remains that since President
Wilson's first note was transmitted to that country, Germany has given
us no single reasonable cause of complaint." The Louisville (Ky.)
Courier-Journal believes the German reply would carry more weight and
persuasion "if it could be considered wholly and apart as an _ex
parte_ statement." "Without equivocation and with a politeness of
offensively insinuating," the Boston Transcript concludes, "Germany
rejects each and all of our demands and attempts to bargain with
respect to the future."

ON THE AMERICAN NOTE OF JULY 21

Publication of the American note in Berlin was delayed until July 25,
owing to difficulty in translating its shades of meaning. While German
statesmen and editors expressed keen appreciation of its literary
style, the press was unanimous in considering