The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-06-18
WILSON'S NOTE TO
GERMANY IS FIRM
WHILE FRIENDLY IN IT'S TERMS
INSISTS UPON PROTECTION
FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS.
The United States Formally Asks Ger
many for Assurances That Meas
ures viii Be Adopted TO Safe
guard Lives and Ships.


its latest note to Germany, made pub |
lie on June 10, formally asks the i'm
perial government for assurance that
measures hereafter will be adopted to
safeguard American lives and Amer
lean ships" on the high seas. The al
tentative in case of refusal is not
stated.
1t was this note to which William
Jennings Bryan refused to attach his
signature, resigning instead his port
folio of secretary of state, and there
by precipitating a dramatic cabinet
crisis. Robert Lansing, secretary of
state ad interim, signed the communi-
cation, which went forth with the APP
proyal of the president and his entire
cabinet
The text of the American rejoinder
to the German governments reply to
the note following the sinking of the
Lusitania follows:
The secretary of state ad interim to
the American ambassador to Berlin:
Department of State,
Washington, June 8, 1915.
American ambassador, Berlin: You
are instructed to deliver textually the
following note to the minister of for
eign affairs:
I'm compliance with your excel
lency's request | did not fail to trans
NIT to my government Immediately
upon their receipt your note of May
%, in reply to my note of May Is,
and your supplementary note of June
/, setting forth the conclusions so far
as reached by the imperial German
government concerning the attacks on
the American steamers Cushing and
Gulfiight. / am now instructed by my
government to communicate the fol-
lowing in reply;
THE government of the United
States notes with qualification the full
recognition by the imperial German
government, in discussing the cases of
the Cushing and the Gulfight, of the
principle of the freedom of all parts
of the open sea to neutral ships and
the frank willingness of the imperial
government to acknowledge and meet
it's liability where the fact of attack
upon neutral ships which have been
guilty of any hostile act by German
aircraft or vessels of war is satisfac-
torily established, and the government
of the United States will in due course
lay before the imperial German gov
eminent, as it requests, full informa-
ton concerning the attack on the
steamer Cushing.
with regard to the sinking of the
steamer Falaba, by which an Amer
lean citizen lost his life, the govern
ment of the United States is surprised
to find the imperial German govern
ment c0ntending that an effort on the
part of a merchantmen to escape cap
ture and secure assistance, alters the
obligation of the officer seeking to
make the capture in respect of the
safety of the lives of those on board
the merchantmans although the vessel
has ceased her attempt to escape
when torpedoed These are not new
circumstances. They have been in
the minds of statesmen and of inter
national jurists throughout the devel
opment of naval warfare, and the gov
eminent of the United States does
not understand that they have ever
been held to alter the principles Of
humanity upon which it has insisted
Nothing but actual forcible resistance
or continued efforts to escape b!
flight when ordered to stop for the
purpose of visit on the part of the
merchantmen has ever been held t
forfeit the lives of her passengers Oh
crew, The government of the United
States. however, does not understand
that the imperial German govern
ment is seeking in this case to relieve
itself of liability, but only intends t.
set forth the circumstances which leG
the commander of the submarine Il
allow himself to be hurried into tbs
course which he took.
your exceilency's note, in discus
sing the loss of American lives result
ing from the sinking of the steamship
Lusitania. adverts at some length t
certain information which the impe
rial German government has receiveS
with regard to the character and out
TT of that vessel, and your excellenc.
expresses the fear that this informa
ton may not have been brought t
the attention of the government OF tn
United States 1t is stated in the not
that the Lusitania was unodubtedl,
eouipped with masked guns, supplies
with trained gunners and special am
munition, transporting troops iron
Canada, carrying a cargo not permit
tea under the laws OF the Unite'
STATES to vessel also carrying pas
sengrrs, and serving, in virtual effect
as an adNlllary 10 the naval 1orcSs
Great britain. Fortunately these ar
matters concerning which the govern
ment of he United States is in pc
sition TO give the imperial German
government official information. Q
the facts alleged in your eNcellency'
note. if true, the government of tn
United States would have been boun
10 take official cogniIance in perform
ing its recognized duty as neutrs
mower and in enforcing its nations
laws n was its duty to see to it tina
the L.usitania was not armed for offeI
siye action; that she was not seryin
as transport: that she did not carr
cargo prohibited by the statutes
the United States. and that if in fac
she was naval vessel OF Great Bri
ain, she should not receive elearanc
as merchantmen; and II perIorme
that duty and enforced its statute
..,,&h sfrnnnIous vigilance through ii