The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-07-24
TEXT OF WILSON
NOTE TO KAISER
MADE PUBLIC
Curt and UnfriendIy in Tone and
Threatens an Open Break
UL1IMA1UM IN IT'S EFFECT
Demands That Germany DisavoW the
sinkino of the Lusitania and Make
Reparation for Loss of Americans

Washington, July 24.-The latest
| note forwarded to Ambassador Ger
ard to be delivered to the German
government is as follows:
You are instructed to deliver textu-
ally the following note to the minist-
er for foreign affairs
The note of the imperial German
government dated the Sth of July,
1915, has received the careful consid-
Grafton of the government of the
United States, and it regrets to be
obliged to say that it has found it
very unsatisfactory, because 1t fails
to meet the real differences between
the two governments and indicates
no way in which the accepted princi-
pies of law and humanity may be ap-
piled in the grave matter in contro-
versy, but proposes, on the contrary
arrangements for a partial suspens-
ion of those principles which virtual
ly set them aside.
The government of the United
States notes with satisfaction that
the imperial German government rec
ognizes without reservation the validi
ty of the principles insisted on in the
several communications which this
government has addressed to the I'M
perial German government with re-.
gard to its announcement of a war
zone and the use of submarines
against merchantmen on the high
seas--the principle that the high
seas are free, that the character and
cargo of merchantmen must first be
asoertained before she can lawfully
be seized or destroyed, and that the
| lives of noncombatants may in no
case be put in jeopardy unless the
vessel resists or seeks TO escape af
ter being summoned TO submit to ex-
animation for belligerent act of re-
taliation is per Sc an act beyond the
| law. and the defense of an act as re-
taliatory is an admission that it is IL
legal.
The government of the United
States is, however. keenly disappoint-
ed to find that the imperial German
government regards itself as in large
degree exempt from the obligation to
observe these principles, even where
neutral vessels are concerned by
what it believes the policy and prac-
tce of the government of Great Brit
ain to be in the present war with re-
gard to neutral commerce. The i'm
perial German government will readi-
ly understand that the government of
the United States cannot discuss the
| policy of the government of Great
Britain with regard to neutral trade
except with that government itself,
and that it must regard the conduct
Of other belligerent governments as
irrelevant to any discussion with the
imperial German government of what
this government regards as grave and
unjustiiable violations OF the rights
of American citizens by German nav
al commanders.
Illegal and inhuman acts, however
justifiable they may be thought to
be against an enemy who is believed
! to have acted in contravention of law
and humanity, are manifestly inde-
fensible when they deprive neutrals
OF their acknowledged rights, parti-
cularly when they violate the right to
| life itself If belligerent cannot
retaliate against an enemy without in
! juring the lives of neutrals, as well
as their property, humanity, as well
as justice and due regard for the
dignity of neutral powers, should die
tate that the practice be discontinue
ed. If persisted in 1t would in such
circumstances constitute an unpard-
enable offense against the sovereign
ty of the neutral nation affected
The government Of the United
States is not unmindful of the extra
ordinary conditions created by this
war or of the radical alterations of
circumstances and method of attack
produced by the use of instrumental
ties of naval warfare which the ma
tions of the world cannot have had in
view wheh the existing rules of in
ternational law were formulated, and
it is ready to make every reasonable
allowance for these novel and uneX-
pected aspects CT war at sea- but it
cannot consent to abate any essenti-
al or fundamental right of its people
because of mere alteration of cir
cumstance. The rights of neutrals
in time of war are based upon prin-