The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-06-03
WsTHHoLDS FINAL ANSWER UFt-
TIL WASHINGTON DETERMINES
STATUS or LUslTAktA.
SAYS SHIP WAS CRUISER
Berlin Says the Act is Justified in At
tempting to Destroy Ammunition
Intended for Use of Enemy
GuIflight Case.


BerIin.-Germany withholdS It's
final decision on the demands adj
vanced by the United States govern
ment In connection with the sinking
Of the Lusitania, until the receipt of
an answer from the United States &c
the note which Herr Won Jagow, the
foreign minister, has delivered to- Am
bassador Gerard In reply to tho Amer
lean note received by the German gov
eminent on May Is.
In its reply the German government
declares that it is not its intention to
submit neutral ships In the war zone,
which are guilty Of no hostile acts,
to attacks By. submarines or aero
planes; that Ii Is investigating the cir
cumstances In connection with the. at
tacks on the American steamers Cush-
ing and Gulf1ight, and that In oil cases
where neutral vessels, through no fault
Of their own, have been damaged. Ger.
many will pay indemnification-
The reply urges that in the case OF
the Lusitania. which Germany alleges
was armed and, carried large stores
of war munitions, It was acting In
justified self-defense in seeking with
all the means of warfare at its, d1spo-
esition to protect the lives of its sol
diers by destroying ammunition IN
tended for the enemy
The German government recalls the
proposals submitted by the United
States government to Berlin and Lon
don, designed to end the submarine
warfare and the shutting out OF food
supplies from Germany, which it. de-
clares failed of their purpose because
of the refusal of the British govern
ment to agree to them.
The text Of the German note: was
made public May 81.
The following is the text Of tha Ger
man note:
"The undersigned has the honor 10
submit to Ambassador Gerard the fol-
lowing answer to the communication
of May 10, regarding the injury to
American interests through German
warfare.
1.-THE imperial government has SUBJ
iected the communication of the Amer
lean government to a thorough invesr
tigation. 1t entertains also a keen
wish to cooperate in frank and
friendly way in clearing up possible
misunderstanding which may have
arisen in the relations between the
two governments through the events
mentioned by the American govern
ment.
Regarding, firstly, the cases Of the
American steamers Cushing and Gulf
light. The American embassy has al
ready been Informed that the German
government has no intention Of submit
ting neutral ships in the war zone,
which are guilty of no hostile acts,
to attacks by submarine or subma-
rines or aviators. On the contrary,
the German forces have repeatedly
been instructed most specifically to
avoid attacks on such ships.
eff neutral ships in recent months
have suffered through the German sub
marine warfare, owing to mistakes IN
Identification, it is a question only OF
quite isolated and exceptional cases,
which can be attributed to the British
governments abuse of flags. together
with the suspicious or culpable be-
havior of the masters of the ships.
1.-THE German government In all
cases in which it has been shown by
it's Investigations that neutral ship,
not itself at fault, was damaged by
German submarines or aviators, has
expressed regret over the unfortunate
accident and, if justified by conditions,
has offered indemniication.
ssThe cases OF the Cushing and the
Gulflight will be treated on the same
principles. An investigation OF Doth
cases is in progress, the result OF
which will presently be communicated
to the embassy. The investigation
can. if necessary, be supplemented by
an international call on the interna
tional commission of inquiry as pro
yided by article of The Hague agree
ment of October Is, 1907.
when sinking the British stsanel
Falaba. the commander of the German
submarine had the intention or allow
ing the passengers and crew fui
opportunity for safe escape. Only
when the master did not obey the or
der to heave-to. but fled and sum