Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-05-20

Department of state, Washington,
May 13, 1915.
Please call on the minister of for
eign affairs and after reading to him
this communication leave with him
a copy.
Text of U. 5. Note.
In view of recent acts of the Ger
man authorities in violation of Amer
lean rights on the high seas which
eliminated in the torpedoeing and
sinking of the British steamship
Lusitania on May Z, 1915, by which
over 100 American citizens lost their
lives, it is clearly wise and desirable
that the government of the United
States and the imperial German gov
eminent should come to a clear I'M
derstanding as to the grave situation
which has resulted.
Cites Three Attacks.
1.-The sinking of the British passen-
ger steamship Falaba by a German
submarine on March %, through
which Leon c. Thrasher, an Ameri-
can citizen was drowned; the attack
on April % on the American vessel
Cushing by a German aeroplane; the
torpedoeing on May 1 of the Ameri-
can vessel Gulflight by a German
submarine, as the result of which two
or more American citizens met their
death, and finally the torpedoeing
and sinking of the steamship Lusi-
tania, constitute a series of events
which the government of the United
States has observed with growing
concern, distress and amazement
Contrary to War Rule.
Recalling the humane and en-
lightened attitude hitherto assumed
by the imperial German government
in matters of international right, and
particularly with regard to the free
dom of the seas; having learned to
recognize the German views and the
German influence in the field of in
ternatiOnal obligation as always en-
gagged upon the side of justice and
humanity, and having understood the
instructions of the imperial German
government to its naval commanders
to be upon the same plane of hui
name action, prescribed by the naval
codes of other nations, the govern
ment of the United States was Ioath
to believe tit cannot now bring it
self to believe-that these acts, SC
absolutely contrary TO the rules, the
10 address the imperial German gov,
eminent concerning them with the
utmost frankneSS and in the earnest
hope that it is not mistaken in ex,
pecting action on the part of the i'm
perial German government which
will correct the unfortunate impress,
sions which have been created and
vindicate once more the position o
that government with regard to the
sacred freedom of the seas.
The government of the United
States has been apprised that the i'm
perial German government consider
ed themselves to be obliged by the
extraordinary circumstances of tn,
present war and the measures adopt
ed by their adversaries in seeking t.
cut Germany off from all commerce
to adopt methods of retaliation which
so much beyond the ordinary meth
DDS Of warfare at sea. in the proclaim
alton of war zone, from which the,
have warned neutral ships to keel
away.
Strikes at War Zone.
This government has alread
taken occasion to inform the imperia
German government that it canno
admit the adoption of such measure
or such 8 warning of danger to op
crate as in any degree an abrevia
ton of the rights of American shi
masters or of American citizen
bound on lawful errands as passen
gers on merchant ships of beIligeren