New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-11


lowing the sinking of the Lustania follows
The Secretary of State ad interim to the American
Ambassador at Berlin.
Department of State,
Washington June 9, 1915.
American Ambassador, Berlin:
You are instructed to deliver textuay following note
to the Minister Of Foreign Affairs:
In compliance with Your Excellencys request did not
fail transmit my government Immediately their
receipt your of May % in reply note of May ID
and your supplementary note of June setting forth the con-
cluon far reached by the Imperial German Govern
ent concerning the attacks the American steamers Cus
ing and GuAight | am instructed by my Government
to communicate the following in reply:
The Government of the United States notes with graft
cation the full recognition by the Imperial German Govern
noent in discussing the cases of the Cushing and the Gught
Of the principle of the freedom of all parts of the open to
neutral ships and the frank willingness of the Imperial German
Government acknowledge and meet its liability where the
fact attack upon neutral ships (which have not been guilty
of any hostile ac by German aircraft or vessels OF war Is
satisfactorily established and the Government OF the United
States will in due lay before the Imperial German
Government it requests full information concerning the
attack on the steamer Cushing.
With regard the sinking of the steamer Falaba, by
which an American citizen lost his e the Government of
the United States surprised to find the Imperial German
Government contendng that effort the part OF n1er
chanman capture and assistance alters the
obligation of the officer seeking make the capture respect
of the safety of the lives Of those board the merchantan
although the vessel has ceased her attempt to when
torpedoed These not circumstances. They have
been in the minds of and of international juss
throughout the development of naval warfare and the Gov
United States does not understand that they
have ever been held alter the principles of humanity upon
which has insisted Nothing but actual forcble resistance
or continued escape by flight when ordered to stop
e khan Of the Chanfn
ever been held to forfeit lives of her passengers
The Government of the United States however, does not
understand that the Imperial German Government seeking
in this case to relieve tse of liability but only intends to set
forth the circumstances which led the commander OF the SUBJ
marine to allow himself be hurried into the which
he took.
Your Excellencys noe in discussing the loss Of Amer-
can lives resulting the sinking of the steamship Lustanla,
adverts at length certain information which the I'M
pera German has received with regard to the
character and outfit of that vessel and Your Exceency ex
presses the fear that this information not have been
brought to the attention of the United States. stated
that the Lusana undoubtedly equipped with masked
guns supplied with trained gnnes and special ammunition
Transporting troops from Canada carrying cargo not per-
itted under the laws the United States vessel also
carving passengers and serving, virtual effect as an
auxiliary the naval forces of Great Britain Fortunately
these concerning which the Government OF the
United States position to give the Imperial German
mfOrnduOn
Excelencys noe if true the Government OF the United
States would have been bound take official cognzance
performing recognized duty neutral power and IN en-
forcing its national laws its duty to to it that the
Lusana armed for offensive acon that she was not
serving as transport; that she did not carry
b;bed bv the statutes of the United States and that fact
she was naval vessel of Great Britain she should not receive
clearance as merchanman; and performed that duty and
enforced its statutes with scrupuous vigilance through ITS
.oyarlv constituted officials able, therefore, to
The Ir,ner;a German Government that it has been misin
formed If the Imperial German Government should deem
itself to be in possession of convincing evidence that the
officials of the Government of the United States did not per-
form duties with hooughness the Government OF the
United sincerely hopes that will submit that evidence
for consideration.
Whatever may be the contentious of the Imperial Ger
man regarding the carriage of contraOand OF war
on board the Lusan regarding the explosion OF that ma
ea by the torpedo need only be said that the view Oh
this Government contentious irrelevant to the ques