The Harrison times., 1915-06-19

ing the sinking or the LuSltanla IOl-
lows:
THE Secretary of State ad interim
to the American Ambassador to Ber-
lin:
Department OF State.
Washington, D. c., June 9, 1915.
American Ambassador, Berlin:
"You are instructed to deliver tex
tually the following note to the minis
ter Of foreign affairs:
"In compliance with your eXcellen-
cy's request, ! did not fail to transmit
to my government Immediately upon
their receipt your note Of May 2S in
reply to my note Of May l5 and your
supplementary note of June l, set,
ting forth the conclusions so far as
reached by the imperial German gov
ernment concerning the attacks on the
American steamers Cushing and Gulf
light. | am now instructed by my
government to communicate the fol
lowing in reply
Freedom on open Sea.
"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 Gulhight, Of the
principle Of the freedom Of all parts
Of the open sea to neutral ships and
the frank willingness Of the German
government to acknowledge and meet
It's liability where the fact Of attack
upon neutral ships which have not
been guilty of any hostile act by Ger
man aircraft or vessels Of war Is sat
isfactorily established and the gov
ernment Of the United States will in
due course lay before the imperial
German government, as 1t requests,
full information concerning the at
tack on the steamer Cushing
Humanity Always Uppermost.
"They have been in the minds OF
statesmen and Of international jurists,
throughout the development of naval
warfare and the government or the
United States does not understand
they have ever been held to alter the
principles Of humanity upon which 1t
has insisted. Nothing but actual lor-
chile resistance or continued efforts to
escape by fight when ordered to stop
for the purpose Of visit on the part
OF the merchantmen has ever been
held to forfeit the lives Of her passen'
gers or crew. The government Of the
United States, however does not un'
derstand that the imperial German
government is seeking in this case to
relieve itself Of liability, but only in
tends to set forth the circumstances
which led the commander OF the sub
marine to allow himself TO be hur-
rled into the course which he took
LusItanla's Status Restated.
"Your eXcelency's note In discuss
ing the loss Of American lives result
ing from the sinking Of the steamship
LusItana, advorts at some length to
certain information which the imperial
German government has received with
regard to the character and outfit OF
that vessel and your eXcellency eX'
presses the fear that this information
may not have been brought to the
attention OF the government OF the
United States, II Is stated In the note
that the Lustania was undoubtedly
equipped with masked guns, supplied
with trained gunners and special am
munition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying q cargo not por-
mltted under the laws Of the United
States 10 q vessel also carrying pas
aengera and serving IN virtual elfaCt
as an auxiliary to the naval forces OF
Great Britain Fortunately, these are
matters concerning which the govern
mcnt Of the United States is In u posi-
ton to give the imperial German gov
ernment official information or the
facts alleged in your eXcelleney's note,
If true, the government would have
boon bound to take official cogni2ance
in performing lts recognized duty ~ a
neutral power and In enforcing It's me-
tional laws,
United States Performed Dutleo'
II was its duty to SOC 70 II that the
LuaItanla was not armed for Offensive
action, that she was not serving As a
transport and that aho did not cNrry u
cargo prohibited by the statutes OF the
United states and that II IN fact she
was naval vessel Of Great Britain
she should not receive clearance as n
merchantman; ana II performed that
duty and enforced its statutes with
acupuloua vigilance through its reg
ulnrly constituted officials, II IN able
therefore, 10 assure the imperial Ger
man government that II has been mis-
Informed II the imperial German gov
ornmcnt should deem itself IN poBBos
slon Of convincing evidence that The
officials Of The government OF the
United states did not perform these
duties with thoroughncas tho gov
ornmont Of the United states sincere
~ hopoa that II viii submit tho oyl
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