The Monticellonian., 1915-06-03
GERMANYS FINAL
 DECISION WITHHELD
GERMAN NOTE SAYS PASSEN GERS COULD HAVE ESCAPED
 FROM LUSiTANlA.
WILL PAY FOR NEUTRAL SHIPS
Makes No Promise to End Submarine War While England Tries to
 Starve Gut Germany.

Beriin.-Germany withholds It's nnal decision on tho demands ad- vanced by the United States govern ment In connection with the sinking of the Lusitania. until the receipt of m answer from the United States to the note which Herr von Jagow. the foreign minister, has delivered to Am bassador Gerard in reply to the Amer tcan note received by the German government on May Is.
 In it's reply the German govern ment declares that 1t Is not it's tnten- ton to submit neutral ships in the war zone. which arc guilty of no hos tile acts, to attacks by submarines or aeroplsnes; that 1t is Investigating the circumstances in connection with the attacks on the American steamers Cushing and Gulhight, and that in all cases where neutral vessels, through no fault of their own. have been dam aged. Germany will pay indemnifica, tton.
 The reply urges that in the case of the Lusitania, which Germany al leges was armed and carried large stores of war munitions, it was act. ing in justified self-defense in seek ing with all the means of warfare at its disposition to protect the lives of its soldiers by destroying ammuni. ton intended for tho enemy"
 ihe German government recalls the proposals submitted by the United States government to Berlin and London, designed to end the subma5 rine warfare and tho shutting out of food supplies from Germany. which it declares failed of their purpose be- cause Of the refusal of the British government to agree to them.
 The following is the text of the German note:
 "The undersigned has the homer to submit to Ambassador Gerard the fol- lowing answer to the communication of May Is. regarding the injury to American interests through German submarine warfare.
 The imperial government has sub jected the communication of the Amer ican government to h thorough inYesti- gation. It entertains also a keen wish 
 way in clearing up q possible misun- derstanding which may have arisen in the relations between the two govern ments through the events mentioned by the American government
 Regarding. firstly. the cases of the American steamers Cushing and Gulf light. the American embassy has a1- ready been informed that the German government has no intention of sub mittlng neutral ships in the war zone. which are guilty of no hostile acts. to attacks by a submarine or submarines or aviators. On the contrary. the Ger man forces have repeatedly been in- structed most specifically to avoid at tackS on such ships.
 ''If neutral ships in recent months have suffered through the German sub marine warfare. owing to mistakes in fndentificatfon, 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 beha- vfor of the masters of the ships
 The German government in all cases in which it has been shown by its in vestigations that a 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 of fered indemnification.
 The cases of the Gushing and the Gulflight will be treated on the same principles. An investigation of both cases is in progress. the result of which will presently be communicated to the embassy. The investigation can, if necessary, be supplemented by an in ternational call on the international commission of inquiry. as provided by article of The Hague agreement of October IS, 1907
 When sinking the British steamer Falaba. the commander of the Germa n submarine had the intention of allow ing the passengers and crew a full op- portunity for safe escape. Only when the commander did not obey the order to heave to. but fled and sum moned help by rocket signals did the German commander order the crew and passengers by signals and megaphone to leave the ship within ten minutes. He actually allowed them twenty-three minutes time and fired the torpedo only when suspicious craft were has tening to the assistance of the Falaba.
 Regarding the loss of life by the sinking of the British passenger steam CT Lusitania, the German government has already expressed to the neutral governments concerned it's keen regret that citizens of their states lost their lives.
 "On this occasion the imperial gov ernment. however, cannot escape the impression that certain important facts having direct bearing on the sinking of the LuSltanfa may have escaped the attention of the American govern ment.
 Tn the interest of clear and com plete understanding. which is the aim tof both governments. the imperial gov ernment considers it first necessary to convince itself that the information accessible to both governments about the facts of the case is complete and in accord.
 "The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchantmen The ff1aTN fn1 mi O this connection to point out that the 
 President Wilson's Father.