Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1915-05-13
STAND Of THE
UNITED STATES
Departure of DR.. Dernberg
Would Not Be UnWe1-
come at Washington.

come at Washington.
President Wilson has practically de-
cided last night on the first step in the
policy which the United States govern
ment will pursue as a result of the
sinking of the British liner Lusitania
with the loss of more than a hundred
American lives. The president will
act promptly-within another day or
two.
A draft of a communication to be
sent to Germany was submitted to the
cabinet and approved unanimously.
While no announ cement was made, it
was learned that the United States
would insist upon an explanation of the
series of incidents which have occurred
since the proclamation of war zone
around the British isles-the sinking of
the Falaba, causing the death of Leon
c. Thresher, an American citizen; the
attack by German airmen on the Ameri
can steamer Cushing, the torpedoing of
the American steamer Gulfitht, and
finally, the destruction without warn
ing of the Lusitania with toll of more
than thousand lives.
In what are described by
those familiar with the doru-
ment as firm and unmistakable
terms, the president voices the
intense feeling of the United
States over these happenings
and, in the name of interna-
tional law, demands an adher-
ence by Germany to the estab-
Iished rules of maritime war
fare.
The note asks that some assurance of
guarantee be given that hereafter I'm
armed merchant vessels carrying non
combatants shall be visited and search
ed when encountered on the high seas
by the German navy and the passen-
gers and crew transferred to place of
safety before any prize is destroyed.
The president points out, It's
understood, that the United
States in it's note which said
Germany would be to 'strict
accountability" for any loss of
American vessels or lives, had
not admitted any right on the
part of Germany to carry on
such methods of warfare and
declares, moreover, that the
giving of official notice of an
intention to commit an unjus-
ti6able act did not justify
the act or make it lawful.
What will follow in event of re-
fusal by Germany to comply with the
wishes of the note about to be sent no
one Of the presidents official family
would predict. They said the president
was determined to act firmly and deal
with each situation as it arose.
The circular from the German gov
eminent to neutral countries assuming
responsibility and promising repara-
ton for any damage in the war zone to
neutral vessels will not affect the de-
termined course of the president. 1t
was considered by the cabinet, but high
officials pointed out that there is no
guarantee in it that the lives of Ameri
cans will be safeguarded, as submar
ines cannot accommodate passengers
or crews of the vessels they attack.
Dernberg May Go
1t developed during the day that
serious consideration had been given
to the status of DR.. Bernhard Dern
berg, who had been in this country for
several months past as q sp0kes-
man for the German cause. The
statements of DR.. Dernberg justifying
the torpedoing of the Lusitania as an
incident of war, taken in connection
with other utterances, are understood
to have met with strong disapproval
in the high executive quarters. This
had led to some examination of prece-
dents to see what courses are open to
the government to restrict the embar
rassment which many officials feelshas
resulted from his activity.
The departure of DR.. Derberg Of the
cessation of his activities would, it was
intimated, not be unwelcome to the au-
thorities here, to say the least.
nukID M DrA0c AT