The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-06-11

WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE
text OF the American rejoinder TO
the German governments reply TO
the note following the sinking OF
the Lusitania follows:
The Secretary of State ad Interim
10 the American Ambassador to
Berlin.
Department OF State.
Washington. June 9. 1915.
American Ambassador. Berlin:
You are instructed 10 deliver textu-
ally the following note to the min
lister OF foreign affairs:
In compliance with your excel.
lency's request. did not fail to
transmit to my government. imme-
dlately upon their receipt. your note
of May rs. In reply TO my note OF
May Is. and your supplementary
note OF June 1. setting forth the con-
illusions. so far as reached. by the
IMPERIAL German government. con-
corning the attacks on the Ameri-
can steamers Gushing and Gulflight.
am now instructed by my govern
ment to communicate the following
reply:
Principle OF Sea Freedom
THE government OF the United
States notes with qualification the
full recognition by the imperial Ger
man government. In discussing the
cases OF the CuahinE and Gulflight.
OF the principle OF the freedom Of
all parts OF the open sea to neutral
ships and the frank willingness OF
the imperial government To aeknovi-
edge and meet It's liability where
the fact OF attack upon neutral
ships. which have not been guilty
OF any hostile act by German air
Graf, or vessels OF war. In satisfac-
forily established. and the govern.
ment OF the United States viii In
due course lay before the imperial
German government. as II requests.
. full information concerning the al
mack on the steamer Gushing.
With regard TO the sinking OF
the steamer Falaba. by which an
American citizen lost his life. the
government of the United States Is
surprised TO find the imperial Ger
man government contending that
an effort on the part OF merchant
man to escape capture and secure
assistance alters the obligation OF
the officer seeking TO make the cap
ture In respect OF the safety OF the
lives OF those on board the mer.
chairman. altho the vessel had
ceased her attempt to escape when
forpedoed.
Not New Circumstances
These are not new circum-
stances. They have been In the
minds OF statesmen and OF interna.
tfonal jurists thruout the develop.
ment OF naval warfare. and the gov.
eminent OF the United States does
not understand that they have ever
been held to alter the principles OF
humanity upon which II has insist.
ed. Nothing but actual forcible re
sistance or continued efforts to es-
cape by flight when ordered to stop
for the purpose OF visit on the part
OF the merchantmen has ever been
held 10 forfeit the lives OF her pas
sengers or crew. The government
of the United States does not under.
stand that the imperial German gov
eminent Is seeking in this case 10
relieve itself OF liability. but only
intends to set forth the circum-
stances which led the commander OF
the submarine to allow himself TO
be hurried into the course which he
took.
Matter Of Armament
Your excellency's note, In dis.
cussing the loss OF American lives
resulting from the sinking OF the
steamship Lusitania, adyerts at
some length TO certain information
which the imperial government has
received with regard to the charac-
ter and outfit OF that vessel, and
your excellency expresses the fear