Evening star., 1915-05-30
GERMAN NOTE IGNORES
LUSlTANEA DlSAvOWAL
Mr.. WILSON SUGGESTED
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signed to end submarine warfare and
| the throttling of food supplies and
other conditional contraband for Ger
many are recalled. The government ex-
| presses the desire to know what steps,
is any. have been taken to induce
Great Britain to embark on negotia
tion to this end. after Germany indt-
Gated her Willingness to discuss set
/ tlement on this general basis.
| Until the official text of Germanys s
reply is received. probably today. Presi-
dent Wilson will reserve comment.
I This word came from the White House
last night. after press dispatches out
lining the German reply had been read
| 1t is known, however. that the United
States government is prepared to con-
| trovert every one of the points men
| toned in the summary of the German
| position as published here. The press
outline conforms with Ambassador
| Gerard's dispatches of the last few
days forecasting the nature Of the Ger
man reply.
| Evidence of an indisputable charac-
| ter was gathered by the Washington
government prior to the sending OF the
note of May Is to prove that the llusi-
| tania carried no guns, either mounted
| or unmounted, that she carried no eX-
plosives within the meaning of Amer
| lean statutes, and that no British yes
sells have cleared from American ports
| for several months carrying guns of
| any character.
| Not a Cruiser.
! The British amba ssador here is pre-
pairing to transmit assurances from the
British government that the Lusita mia
! was not armed. and that she could not
! be carried on the naval list as an
auxiliary cruiser unless she were armed
and commissioned, the latter change
from a peaceful merchantmen to. an
auxiliary cruiser being possible, ac-
cordng to British practice, only IN
home ports.
The United States. moreover, holds
that the carrying of arms and ammunl-
tion and other contra band, or few
unarmed individuals who might be
prospective soldiers. does not destroy
the right under international law and
humanity of the belligerent merchant
man to be visited and searched before
being destroyed and the neutral or non
combatant passengers transferred TO
place of safety.
While the exact phraseology of the
German reply is awaited with much in
terest there was feeling of pessimlsm
in many quarters over the reported
evasion of President Wilson's demands
for reparation for the loss of about 1l5
submarine warfare will be so con,
Quoted in the future to safeguard
American lives and vessels.
A grave factor has been added to the
situation by the finding of the Ameri-
can commission appointed by Ambas-
sador Page that the American steamer
Nebraskan was torpedoed without
warning by submarine In German
quarters the claim was persistent that
the vessel must have struck a mine
Nebraskan Torpedoed.
Lieut. John II. Towers, naval attache.
and Naval Constructor Lewis B. Nc
Bride of the American embassy, and
reported through Ambassador Page
that after a technical examination OF
the vessel, and on the testimony OF
the chief engineer of the Nebraskan
they had no doubt that the ship was
attacked by submarine.
Inasmuch as submarines of the allied
powers have not attacked merchant
men. the presumption of officials is
similar to that reached after an in
vestigation of the attack On the
Gulfight that German submarine was
responsible. and an inquiry to the Ger
man foreign Office for its report on the
case is expected to go forward within
day or two.
The preponderance of evidence show
ing an attack on the Nebraskan after
it was believed that submarine attacks
on neutral vessels would cease, at
least while the negotiations were in
progress, admittedly increased the ten
sion in relations with Germany.
In German quarters 1t was suggested
that if the ship was attacked by a
German submarine the commander may
have been away from his base too long
to learn of the new developments and
the precautions to be taken with re-
spect to neutral ships.
The fact that the Nebraskan had
hauled down her flag at dark was also
mentioned as possiNe reason for
suspecting that she was an enemy YES
sci, although Capt. Greene in his
affidavit declares the name of his ship
was painted on her sides in letters six
feet high. and that it was possible for
a submarine commander to see them.
Incidentally the State Department re-
ceived from Ambassador Gerard cir
cular slsued by the German gov
ernment warning neutral vessels to
keep their names illuminated at night
and to bear as many distinguishing
marks as possible. because of the pos
sibility Of mistaken attacks.
Secretary Bryan Silent.
Secretary Bryan declined to comment
on the Nebraskan case, referring in
quirers to an examination of the facts
as given out In formal statement