The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-14
President Wilson's Note to Germany is First a
Demand and Secondly Threat, Fully
Covering Existing Conditions.
.H0W WILL i Be RECEIVED OVER THERE?
German Submarine Terrorism Has Been Watched
by Uncle Sam with Growing Concern,
Distress and Amazement".

policy, whereby the waters about
England and France are made war
zone, dangerous even for neutral ship
ping to traverse and in which all
enemy's merchantmen, whether carry
ing passengers or not are liable to be
sunk without warning, is not accept
ed Germany is asked squarely to
end such practices. The position is
taken that In declaring Its blockade,
Germany could not have assumed non
combatants of any nationality were
to be endangered. German submarine
warfare, Of the sort in vogue thus far,
the United States holds, disregards
the rules of fairness, reason, justice
and humanity Submarines cannot
board and search ships. In the words
of the American note:
"Manifestly. submarines cannot be
used against merchantmen, as the
last few weeks have shown, without
an inevitable violation Of many sac
red principles of justice and human
ity."
This is the American position Ger
many is asked to change her meth
DDS. In order that there shall be no
mistake, the language Of diplomacy is
departed from for a sentence and
President Wilson tells Germany:
"It (the United States) confidently
expects that the imperial German
government will disavow the acts Of
which the United States complains.
that they will make reparation as far
as reparation Is possible fox injuries
which are without measure. and that
they will take immediate steps to
prevent the recurrence Of anything so
obviously subversive Of the principles
OF warfare for which the German gov
ernment have in the past so wisely
and so firmly contended."
Position squareIy Stated.
That is all. There is no leaving
tbs, matter open for bargaining or for
further negotiations. The United
States has stated its position square
ly. American citizens are to have the
right to go where their business calls
them; to travel on merchantmen fly
ing any flag and to be safe in doing
SO. That this may be accomplished,
Germany must end her campaign of
submarine terrorism. She may use
such weapons against her enemies,
whore they can be used against enc
mics exclusively, but where there is
endangered, she must stay her course.
Concerning the American action to
be taken, should the German govern
ment decline to accept the United
States viewpoint, President Wilson
says very little, but that little is sig
nificant, making it plain that all of
the republics resources are to be util-
lied to protect its citizens.
"The imperial German government"
said the president, in closing, 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"
The note was expected to be in
Ambassador Gerard's hands Thursday
night and his instructions were TO go
at once with it to the German minis
ter of foreign affairs. to read 1t to him
and then to leave a copy with him.
This has already been done, officials
say. and they believe the matter Will
be considered so urgent that the
kaiser will call a special cabinet coun-
Gil to consider it.
The note protested against Ambas-
sadlor Won Bernstorff's action in pub
fishing the now famous advertised
warning to Americans OF the dangers
of the war zone, but the reference
was chiefly to draw attention to the
fact that this warning was not con-
sfdered justification for the torpedo
ing of merchantmen carrying non-cour