The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-05-25
Text of American
i Note To Germany
(RY Associated Pressl

W (By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, May 10. - Ia,
United States government today eabled
Ambassador Girard for presentation
TO the German government n note call.
ing attention to the "grave situation
which has resulted" from violation or
American, rights on the high seas,
eliminating in the sinking Of the Lusi-
tania with loss Of more than one
hundred American lives. , 4
The communication expresses the
confident expectation of the United
States "that the imperial German GOV.
ernnlont will disavOw the acts of which
the government of the United States
complains, that they win make repara.
tion 80 far as reparaton is possible fer
injuries which are without measure,
and that they will take immediate
stems to prevent the recurrence of any
thing so obviously snbversive of tia
principles of warfare for which the
Imperial German government in the
post so wisely and so firmly contend
ed" f..
Rights Maintained
In its conclusion the note states that
" the imperial German government
will not expect the government Of the
United States to omit any word or
any act necessary to the performance
of its sacred duty of maintaining the
rights of the United States and It's
citizens and of safeguarding their
free exercise and enjoyment. T.
The full text Of the no,e was made
public tonight by the state depart.
ment as follows: Il
g DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASH
b q INGT0N, May 10, 1915.
"The secretary of state to the Amer.
lean Ambassador at Berlin:
. "Please call on. the minister of for
eign affairs and after reading to him
this communication, leave with him n
copy:
"In view of recent acts of the Ger.
man authorities in violation of Amer
lean rights on the high seas, which
eliminated in the torpedOing and sink.
ing of the British steamship Lusitania
On May Z, 1915, by which more than
100 American citizens lost their lives
IL is clearly wise and desirable that
the government of the United States
and the imperial German government
shoulh gone to. a elefr end full under,
standing as to the grave g situation
which has resulted. &C.,"
Distressing Events Mentioned 81
1.-The sinking of the British passen.
ger steamer Falaba by a German sub
marine on March rs, through whiC'I
Leon {. Thresher, an American cit,.
zen, was drowned; the attack on April
%, on the American vessel Gushing by
German aerOplane; the 'tOrpedoing
on May ] of the Ameriean vessel Gui.
flight by u German submarine, as a re-
suit of which two or more American
citizens met their death;l aud, finally,
the toTpedoing and sinking of the
steamship Lusitania constitute Sc
ries of events which the government.
of the United States mas observed with
growing concern, distress and amaze
ment.
International Obligation
"Recalling the humane and enlight-
ened attitude hitherto assumed by the
imperial German government in mat
tiers of international right, and partic-
uIarly with regard to the freedom of
the seas; having learned to recognize
the German views and the German in
huence in the field OF international OBJ
legation as always engaged upon the
side Of justice and humanity, and haV'
ing understood the INSTRUCTIONS of the
imperial German government to IT'D
naval commanders to be upon the same
plane of humane action prescribed by
the naval codes of other nations, the
government of the United States was
loath to" believe-it cannot now bring
itself to believe--zthat these acts, so
absolutely contrary TO the rules, the
practises and the sPiTiS OF modern war
fare coul, lave the countenance or
sanction of that great government.
1t feels it to be its duty, therefore,
to address the imperial German govern
ment concerning, them with the utmost
frankness, and in the earnest hope
that it is not mistaken in expecting
action on the part of the imperial Ger
man government which will correct
the unfortunate impressions which
have been created, and vindieate once
more the position of that government
with regard to the sacred freedom. Of
the seas,
Rights Not To Be Questioned /
1.-THE Government of the United
States has been apprised that the i'm.
perial German government considered
themselves to be obliged by the extra.
ordinary circumstances OF the, present
war, and the measures adopted by. their
adversaries in seeking to cut Germany
of from all commerce, to adopt meth
DDS of retaliation which 20 much be-
You'd the ordinary methods of warfare
at sea, in, the proclamation of war
zone from which they have warned
neutral ships to keep away, This gov
srnment has already taken occasion
to inform the imperial government
that it cannot admit the adoption Of
such measures or such a warning of
danger to operate as in any degree an
ahbreviation of the rights sof Ameri'
can shipmasters or of American citi-
zens bound on lawful errands as pass
engers on merchant ships of beIIiger
ent nationality; and that it must hold
the imperial German government to 4
strict accountability for any infringe
ment of those rights, intentional or In
eidental. Ii does not understand tn"
imperial German government to gnes
ton those rights II assumes on tn"
contrary that the imperial government
an.ant nf onnrSn thn ruln thut Ia,