Putnam patriot., 1915-06-04
Full Text of Cernnany's
 Reply to the United States

The undersigned has the honor to sub-
 nit to Ambassador Gerard the fol-
 lowing answer to the communication
 ez Hay D regarding the injury to
 American interests through German
 s1bEal warfare:
 Tine apoaI GovcHmmt has sub- facted tae communication of tI Ameri-# oa Ga.anmDt esa thorough iasesti- etiaH. t aHaeltElEs aI=a q eean wish ja ee-oparate in frank and friendly vav ia clearing ep possible uiaHder- standing which may h#se arisen in the relations between tHa two Governments through the eveHfs mentioned by the American Government.
 Regarding. firstly. the=eases of the American steamers Cushing and Gul- flight. the American Embassy has al-= ready been informed that the German Government has 10 intention of submit ting neutral ships in the war zone which are guilty Of no hostile acts, to attacks by submarine or submarines or ayia- tors. On the contrary the German forces have repeatedly been instructed most specifically 10 avoid attaeks on such ships
 If neutral ships in recent months have suffered through the German su5- marine warfare owing te mistakes i'll identification. if Is question only of quite isolated and exeepfional=eases which can be attributed 10 the British Governments abuse of flags together with tbr suspicious or culpablc behavior of the masters of tbe ships.
 Tba German Government, in all eases in which it has been shown by its in- vestigations that neutral ship, not it-= self at fault, was damaged by German submarines OF aviators, has expressed re- gret over the unfortunate accident, and, if justified by conditions, has offered in- identification.
 The cases of the Cushing and the Gulhight will be treated on the same principles.
 An investigation of both cases is in progress the result of which will pre- sently be communicated 10 the Embassy. The investigation can, if necessary, be supplemented by an international call on the International Commission of Inquiry, as provided by Article IIl.of The Hague agreement al Oct ls. 1yul.
 When sinking the British steamer Fa-  laba. the commander of the German sub marine had the intention of allowing the passengers and crew full opportunity for safe escape. Only when the master did mol obey Che order to heaVe 10, but fed and summoned help by rocket sig nala. did the German commander order tEa crew and passengers hy 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 hastening 10 the assistance of the Falaha,
 Regarding the loss of life by the sink ing of the British passenger steamer lu- sitania, the German Government has al- ready expressed to the neutral Govern ments concerned it's keen regret that citizens of their States lost their lives.
 On this occasion the Imperial Govern ment, however, cannot escape the im- pression that certain important facts having q direct bearing on the sinking of the Lusitania may have escaped the attention of the American Government.
 In the interest of a clear and com plete understanding which ls the aim of both Governments the Imperial Govern meut considers fl first necessary to convince itself that the information accessible to both Governments aboat the facts of the ease k complete and in ae- cord
 The Government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusifania could be regarded as an ordi- nary narmed merchantmen, The lm- perial Government allows itself in this connection to point out that the Lusi- tania was one of the largest and fastest