The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-06-04
BERLIN ON THE STATUS
OF THE SUNKEN LINER
Contends 1t Was Auxiliary Cruiser
Carrying Troops, Etc.

note aILer the SINKING OF the LuSi.
tania was signed by Herr Won ia.
gov, the foreign minister, at II
o'clock last night and delivered tc
Ambassador Gerard this morning fol
transmission to Washington.
The note expresses Germany's re-
greet for injuries sustained by Ameri-
cans as result of submarine and
aeroplane attacks, and offers COM
pensation in cases in which Ger
many is found to be in the wrong.
AS indicated previously in these
dispatches, the note defers direct
answer to the questions raised by
President Wilson, pending further
exchange of views. Germany de-
sires to establish whether the Lusi-
tanla was defenseless merchant
ship or was being used for the trans
portation of war munitions and SOL
diers, on which unsuspecting pas
sengers were permitted to take pas
sage to safeguard the war materials,
The American representations re-
garding the torpedoing of the Brit
ish steamer Falaba, in which an
American citizen lost his life, are
answered with the statement that it
was intended to offer ample time for
the passengers and crew to leave the
ship. The action of the captain in
attempting to escape, however, ne
cessltated more summary action.
Even then the commander of the
submarine granted ten minutes for
those on board to leave the vessel
and subsequently extended the time
to % minutes before sinking the
ship.
LUSITANIA WAS CRUISER,
Germany expresses regrets for
the unintentional attacks on the
American steamer Cushing and the
Gulfiight The Cushing was attack
ed by German airmen in the North |
Sea and the Gulfiight was torpedoed
off Sicily Islands. Germany disa-
vows any intention to attack harm
less neutral craft. She offers to pay
compensation wherever she is found |
to be in the wrong, and to refer
doubtful cases to The Hague for
decision.
The passages in the American note
concerning possible disavowal by
Germany of intent to sink the Lusi-
tania and the discontinuance of her
present practices of submarine war
fare are not mentioned specifically
in the reply.
The note states that pending the
reply of the American government
to the German assumptions of fact
regarding the real character of the
Lusitania and her cargo, no attempt
will be made to answer the demands
contained in the American commu-
nication.
These assumptions of fact are as
follows:
1.-THE Lusitania was built as an
auxiliary cruiser, subsidized and car
ried on the navy list as such. She
carried, according to German infor-
nation, two guns mounted and con- l
cealed below decks.
British steamers sailing from New
York, according to information re-
ceived from passengers and other I
sources, repeatedly carried soldiers, I
artillery, war supplies and contra a
band to England, the Lusitania on l
this trip carrying specifically $500 /
cases of ammunition in addition to +
other war supplies and Canadian
troops en- route to the front.
WAS 1T PROPERLY EQUIPPED? ,
Reference is here made to the g
fact that carrying explosives on pas n
senger steamers is contrary to 4
American law. 1t is intimated that :,
the German government would be
glad to receive information as to -,
how it happened that ammunition =
was permitted to be shipped on the VI
Lusitania, vessel crowded with
Strong phrases are
used regarding what is considered as a
apparently the deliberate policy of o
British shipping companies to pro- c.
tect war shipments by embarking j.
American passengers on the same V
ships. r.
Germany contends it is impossible II
o settle the question whether prop Z,
,r opportunity was given to place b
he passengers and crew in safety
Until it is determined whether the
equations adopted after the sink
ng of the Titanic, regarding a prop IL
# supply of boats and water-tight "
which are now a part of Vi
he American law, were observed in in
he case of the Lusitania. v;