The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1915-06-18
Legality Of Sinking Of Steamer
lusitania Haby Denied
by United States.
ORIGINAL DEMANDS RENEWED
Precautions Insisted Upon and Right
Of Americans to Travel Seas
Lawfully, Declared, NOtwith.
standing Warnings.

WASHINGTON. June l0.-The text
Of the American rejoInder TO the Ger
man governments reply TO the not'
following the sinking Of the Lusitanis
follows:
"The Secretary Of State ad interim
70 the American Ambassador 70 Ber'
iini Department Of State. Washing
ton, June 3. i9lb.--Amsriean Ambas'
sador, Berlin: You are instructed Il
deliver textually tho following note
20 the Minister Of Foreign Affairs
"In compliance with Your Excel
leney's request. / did not fail TO trans
NIT 70 my Government, Immediately
upon their receipt, your note OF May
2s In reply 10 my note Of May 10, ard
your supplementary note Of June J.
setting forth the conclusions, 80 far
as reached by the imperial German
government. concerning the attacks
on the American steamers Cushing
and GuifliEht.
Principle Of Freedom Recognized.
II am now instructed by my Gov.
ernment 20 communicate tho follow
Ing In reply:
"The Government Of tho United
States notes with qualification the
full recognition by the imperial Ger
man government, In discussing the
cases Of the Cushing and the Gull
flight, Of the principle Of tho freedom
Of all parts Of the open sea TO neutral
ships and the frank willingness OF the
imperial government TO acknowledge
and meet its liability where the fact
Of attack upon neutral ships which
have not been guilty Of any hostile
act By German aircraft or vessels OF
war is satisfactorily established; and
the Government Of the United States
will In due course lay before tho inn
perlal German government. as II re-
quests, full information concerning
the attack on the steamer Gushing.
with regard to the sinking Of the
steamer Falsba. by which an Ameri-
can citizen lost his life, the Govern
ment Of the United States Is surprised
70 find the imperial German govern
ment eontending that an effort on
the part Of a merchantmen to escape
capture and secure assistance alters
the obligation Of the officer seeking
to make the capture in respect to the
safety TO the lives OF those on board
the merchantmen, although tho ves-
eel has ceased her attempt to escape
when torpedoed. These are not new
circumstances. They have been In the
minds Of statesmen and Of interna-
tional jurists throughout the develop
ment OF naval warfare. and the Gov
ernment Of the United States does not
understand that they have ever been
held to alter the principles Of human
ity upon which II has insisted. Moth
ing but actual forciblc resistance or
continued efforts TO escape by flight
when ordered TO stop for the purpose
of visit on the part Of the merchant
man has ever been held to forfeit the
lives of her passengers or crew.
"The Government Of the United
States, however, does not understand
that the imperial German government
Is seeking In this case to relieve itself
Of liability, but only intends to set
forth the circumstances which led the
commander Of the submarine to allow
himself to be hurried into the course
which he took.
"Your Excellency's note, in discuss
ing the loss Of American lives result
ing from the sinking Of the steamship
Lusitania, adverts at some length to
certain information which the imperial
German government has received with
regard to the character and outfit OF
that vessel, and your Excellency ex-
presses the fear that this information
may net have been brought to the at
tention Of the Government OF the
United States.
"It Is stated In the note that the
Lusitania was undoubtedly equipped
With masked guns, supplied with
trained gunners and special ammuni-
tlon, transporting troops from Cam
ada, carrying n cargo not permitted
under the laws Of the United States
to a vessel also carrying passengers,
and serving, In virtual effect, as an
auxiliary to tho naval forces Of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are mat
ters concerning which the Government
of the United States is in position
TO give the imperial German govern
ment official information. OF the
facts alleged in Your Excellency's
note, II true, the Government of the
United States would have been bound
TO take official cogniEance In per-
forming its recognized duty as neu-
tral power and in enforcing its Ma
tional laws.
at was It's duty to see to It that
the Lusitania was not armed for Of
fensivs action, that she was not serv-