The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-06-03

u. HI Ht IolioWIHS Is tne leXb OF the
German note:
The undersigned has the honor to sub
NIT to ambassador Gerard the follow
ing answer to the communication of
May ID, regarding the injury to Ameri-
can interests through German submar-
inc warfare:
"The imperial government has sub
jected the communication of the Amer
lean government to thorough investi-
cation. 1t entertains also keen wish
to cooperate in frank and friendly
way in clearing up a possible misunder-
standing which may have arisen in the
relations between the two governments
through the events mentioned by the
American government. Regarding, first
ly, the cases of the American steamers
Gushing and Gulflight The American
embassy has already been informed
that the German government has no in
tention of submitting neutral ships in
the war zone, which are guilty of no
hostile acts, to attacks by submarine
or submarines, or aviators. On the con-
trary, the German forces have repeated
ly been instructed most specifically to
avoid attacks on such ships.
Secs Culpable Behavior.
| IF neutral ships in recent months
have soffcred through the German sub
1 r,,.e %o
Identification, it is question only of
quite isolated and exceptional eases
which can be attributed to the British
government abuse Of flags, together
with the suspicious or culpable behavior
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
keen regret over the unfortunate acct
dent, and, if justified by conditions,
has offered naturalization.
"The cases of the Cushing and the
Gulflight will be treated on the same
principles. An investigation Of both
cases is in process, the result of which
will presently be communicated to the
embassy. The investigation can, if
necessary, be supplemented by an inter
national call on the international com
mission of inquiry as provided by arti-
Gle III of the Hague agreement of
October Is, 1907.
The Falaba Case
"When sinking the British steamer
Falaba, the commander of the German
submarine had the intention of allow
| ing the passengers and crew full OPP
Iportunity for a safe escape. Only when
the master did not obey the order to
heave to, but fled and summoned help
by rocket signals, did the German
commander order the crew and passen
gers by signals and megaphones to
leave the ship within ten minutes. He
actually allowed them twenty three
minutes time and fired the torpedo
only when suspicious crafts were has
tening to the assistance of the Falaba.
Regarding the loss Of life by the
sinking of the British passenger steam
er Lusitania, the German government
has already expressed to the neutral
governments concerned its keen regrets
that citizens of their states lost their
lives
son this occasion the imperial gov
eminent, however, cannot escape the i'm
preston that certain important facts
having a direct bearing on the sink
ing of the Lusitania may have escaped
the attention of the American govern
ment
Gin the interest of a clear and com
plete understanding, which is the aim
of both government, the imperial
government considers it first neces-
sary to convince itself that the infor
nation accessible to both governments
about the facts of the ease is com
plete 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 imperial government allows itself
in this connection to point out that the
Lusitania was one of the largest and
fastest British merchant ships, built
with government funds as an auxiliary
cruiser, and carried expressly as such
in the navy list issued by the British
admiralty.
Says Lusitania Was Armed
cit is further known to the imperial |
government, from trustworthy reports
from its agents and neutral passengers
that for considerable time practically |
all the more valuable British merchant |
men have been equipped with cannon
and ammunition and other weapons and ,
manned with persons who have been /
specially trained in serving guns. The