Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-31
GERMANY BLAAES
BRITISH IN REPLY
REFUSES TO MAKE DECISION ON
LUsITANlA AND OTHER SEA
INCIDENTS.
NOT MAKING INTENTIONAL
WAR ON NEUTRAL SHIPS
Germany Reiterates Claim That lusi-
tania Was Armed and Carried Mu-
nitions Of Wa-offers to Pay lndem-
nifty For All Damage to Vessels OF
Neutral Nations-Text Of Reply.

| Neutral Nations ext OF Keply'
/ Berlin, May 31.-Germany with olds
! its final decision on the demands ad-
vanced by the United States govern
ment in connection with the sinking
of the Lusitania, until the receipt of
ian answer from the United States to
1 the note which Herr Won Jagow, the
/ foreign minister. has delivered TO Am
! bassador Gerard, in reply TO the Ameri-
I can note received by the German gov
f! eminent on May Is.
| In its reply the German government
/ declares that it is not its intention 10
! submit neutral ships in the war zone,
which are guilty of no hostile acts, TO
! attacks by submarines or aeroplanes;
| that it is investigating the circum-
stances in connection with the at
tacks on the American steamers Cush-
ing and Gulflight. and that in all cases
where neutral vessels. thru no fault
of their own, have been damaged will
pay indemnifcation.
Say Ship Was Armed.
The reply urges that in the case OF
the Lusitania, which Germany alleges
was armed and carried large stores of
war munitions, it was acting in justi-
| fed self defense in seeking with all
the means OF warfare at its disposition
to protect the lives of its soldiers by
DESTROYING ammunition intended for
the enemy
! The German government recalls the
proposals submitted by the United
! States government TO Berlin and Lon
/ don, designed TO end the submarine
| warfare and the shutting out Of food
supplies from Germany. which it de-
clares. failed of their purpose be-
cause Of the refusal of the British
! government to agree to them.
Text Of Reply.
Tie following is the text OF the
German note:
The undersigned has the honor to
submit to Ambassador Gerard the fol-
| lowing answer TO the communication
OF May 10, regarding the injury to
! American interests thru German sub
marine warfare:
The imperia. government has sub
jected the communication OF the
American government TO thorough
investigation. It entertains Keen
wish to cooperate in a frank and
friendly way in clearing up possible
misunderstanding which may have
arisen in the relations between the two
governments due to events mentioned
by the American government.
Not After Neutral Ships.
Regarding. firstly. the cases of the
American steamers Gushing and Gull
flight The American embassy has
ialready been Informed that the Ger
man government has no intention o,
submitting neutral ships in the val
zone which are guilty of no hostile
acts. to attacks by a submarine OF
aviators On the contrary, the Ger
man forces have repeatedly been in
structed most specifically to avoid at
tacks on such ships.
IF neutral ships in recent month:
have suffered thru the German sub
marine warfare, owing to mistakes IL
Identification, it is a question only o
quite isolated and exceptional cases
which can be attributed to the British
governments abuse of flags, togethe
with the suspicious or culpable be
havior of the masters of the ships.
The German government in a
cases in which it has been shown b
its investigations that neutral shiI
not itself at fault. was damaged b
German submarines or aViators. ma
expressed regret over the unfortu
nate accident. and. if justified by con
ditions. has offered determination.
} THE cases of the Gushing an
Gulfight will be treated on the sam
principles. An investigation Of bot
cases is in progress, the result c
which will presently be communi
} Gated to the embassy. The investi
=, cation can. if necessary, be supple
mented by an international call o
the international commission Of in
quiry. as provided by article Ill
: The Hague agreement of Oct. is. 1870
Tells of Faiaba Case.
when sinking the British steame
:, Falaba. the commander Of the Ger
man submarine had the intention {
allowing the passengers and crew
D full opportunity for safe escape. Onl
) when the master did not obey the or
) der to heave to. but fed and summone
help by rocket signals. did the Germa
commander order the crew and passer
gers by signals and megaphones t
: leave the ship within ten minutes. b
actually allowed them twenty-five
= minutes time. and fired the torped
t only when suspicious craft was hasten
|, ing 10 the assistance ofthe Falaba.
8 Regarding the loss of life by til
striking of the British passenge
g steamer Lusitania. the German GOV
ernment has already expressed to tt
neutral governments concerned its kee
lregret that citizens Of their states 10.
= their lives.
r Other Facts Enter.
t. "On this occasion the imperial go.
eminent, however, can not escape tt
impression that certain importal
facts having direct bearing on Il
sinking of the Lusitania may have ei
. capped the attention Of the America
government.
In the interest Of a clear and con
Il plete understan ding, which is the al
Of both governments. the imperial go'
eminent considers it first necessary
convince itself that the information a.
cessibIe to both governments about II
facts OF the case is complete and IN a
cord.
"The government Of the Unit'
states proceeds on the assumption tn
the Lusitania could be regarded as {
ordinary unarmed merchantmen. r
i imperial government allows itself
d this connection to point out that T.
Lusitania was one OF the largest al
fastest British merchant ships, bu
Nth oovernnnenf funds az an auxilia