The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-09
this GOVERNMENT
WANTS YES OR NO
Germany Must Regard All Interna'
tionaI Law-Cabinet Dis
cusses Note.

tiOnaI LawCablnet Dis
cusses Note.
President Wilson determined that
the United States must ascertain den
nitely and promptly from Germany
whether that country intends in the
future to be guided by the accepted
principles Of international law and
the rights Of neutrals or to follow
it's own rules Of maritime warfare.
The president listened to a varied
expression of opinion at the Tuesday
meeting Of his cabinet, taking little
part in the discussion himself. Later
he began the preparation Of a note to
be dispatched before the end Of this
week, embodyi-g his own ideas and
what seem to him the consensus OF
his official family.
The verdict of majority OF the
cabinet was that the German reply to
| the American note following the
sinking Of the Lusitania was unre-
sponsive and unsatisfactory, disre-
garding. the good will Of the United
States, doubling its facts and is claim
| ing all blame for the destruction OF
the merchantmen with American
lives. The question Of fact raised by
Germany were regarded as irrelevant
at this time.
The trend of opinion was that the
United States must learn soon wheth-
| er Germany intends to recognize the
! hitherto accepted principles that neu-
trials may travel anywhere on the
high seas on unarmed merchant
ships. even il carrying contraband, |,
and that merchantmen which does
not resist capture must be visited and
searched and the passengers and crew
transferred to a place OF safety be-
fore the vessel is destroyed.
An unfavorable answer to this in
quiry would lead, it was predicted
in official quarters, to a severance OF
diplomatic relations on the ground
that the United States could not con-
| tinue intercourse with government
| which repudiated these principles.
Steps then would be taken to inform
Americans of the dangers to which
they were exposed as a result Of this
action and such measures as neces-
sary adopted to safeguard the lives
and interests of citizens Of the Unit
ed States.
Should Germany accept the prin-
ciple in a way that would constitute
guarantee for the future, the
! American government would relter-
ate it's demand for a "strict account
ability for violations Of this prin-
ciple and the killing of Americans on
the Lusitania.
The decision to base the American
note on the principles of interna-
tional law, to obtain an affirmative
or negative reply, and not enter into
a technical discussion OF details
! raised in the German communlca-
ton. was the single develoment of
the cabinet council Some members
favored even excluding any reference
to the facts asked for by Germany,
setting first the point as to whether
Germany intended to disregard the
American warning of last February
that it would insist upon the exercise
of the right of visit and search with
respect to vessels on which Americans
were travelling.
One cabinet officer believed the
American government should enter
into investigation Of the points raised
by the German answer, submitting its
proof and giving the German govern
ment an opportunity to do likewise.
Others, however, declared that such
a process would mean only delay and
| in the event of deadlock Of facts,
would leave the United States, which
| had already assured itself OF the
authenticity of it's information, and
| whose good faith was at stake, with
out remedy for the present or future,
ATTACKS on American vessels having
been committed. Notwithstanding as
surances to the contrary. The opinion
was general that the United States
would restate that the Lusitanla was
unarmed and would ignore such Ques-
tions as to whether the carriage or
ammunition is a violation of Amerl-
can law.
In some diplomatic quarters close
to the German embassy, it was SAID
that when the ambassador visited the
president he would seek to elicit
from President Wilson his views on
how Germany could conduct her sub
marine warfare without interferlng
with neutrals, and might suggest the
separation of passenger and contra
band traffic or the giving of assur-
ances that the British government
would not arm its merchantmen car
rying passengers.
None Of these reported proposals.
officials conversant with the position
OF the government indicated, woulo
be considered until definite &C
ouiescence by Germany in the funda-
mental principles of international law
was obtained. Tuesdays cabinet
meeting indicated that the govern
ment did not intend to yield any CT
the rights which neutrals hitherto
have possessed, and that it would
stand firmly on the position as out
lined in previous notes. :,
The cabinet divided two and a halt
hours in discussion of the European
and Mexican situations. The presl'
dent saw some callers earlier in the
day. He showed calmness and nc
siens of strain. AS the cabinet as
sembled in the executive offices indl-
vidual members by their attitude re-
Elected the gravity of the situation
Expressions Of confidence in the
nresident came in kilograms from al!
narts of the country during the day
Members of the cabinet spoke of this
and declared that the president,
view of the entire problem was such
that he could be depended upon IN
his action to maintain the honor ano
dignity of the country.
It became known Tuesday night
that when the note was first drafted
II pointed out that lives Of American
citizens could not be lawfully placed
in Jeopardy on merchantmen ''whicf
did not resist capture but on ma
ture deliberation and an investigation