Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17
FORMALLY ASKS GERMANY FOR
ASSURANCES THAT AMERICAN
LIVES AND SHIPS WILL Be
sAFEGuARDED.
ALTERNATIVE, IN CASE OF
REFUSAL, NOT STATED
Document Declares Imperial Govern.
nent Must Have Been Misinformcd
When II Assumed Lusitania Car
ried Arms--America Stands On
Principle Of humanity.

( -
just made public. formally asks the
Imperial government for assurances
that measures hereafter will be adopt.
cd to safeguard american lives and
American ships" ON the high seas
The alternative, In case OF refusal. Ia
not stated.
II was this note to which William
Jennings Bryan refused to attach his
signature. resigning instead his port
folio Of secretary OF state and thereby
precipitating dramatic cabinet crisis.
Robert Lansing, secretary Of state ad
intarin, signed the communication
which went forth with the approval
Of President Wilson and his entire
cabinet
document which renews representa-.
lions made In the American note that
reached Germany on May ID, after the
Lusitatia was torpedoed and sunk
with loss OF more than 100 American
lives. The German government, II liz
declared, must have been misinform.
cd when II assumed that the Lusi.
tanla carried guns. as official informa.
tion h ut hand TO corrnborate the orig.
inaI contention OF the Washington gov
ernment~-that the Iuaitania was an
unarmed passenger ship. which, since
II did not resist capture. could not be
sunk without transferring passengers
and crew 10 place Of safety"
Stands for Humanity.
The communication informs Ger
many that II ID 'on the principle or
humanity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States must stand"
Opportunity la given To Germany to
submit any evidence that American of
fcials did not execute their tasks thor.
0ughly In inspecting the Lusitania be.
fore she sailed. but the cardinal fact
that the liner was given no warning
aud made no resistance and was prim-
arily passenger shin---the American
government declares throws into the
background any special circumstances
Ut detail" and lifts the case 'out OF
the class OF ordinary subjects OF diplo
matte discussion or OF international
controversy"
The issuance OF another statement
By former Secretary Bryan coincidemt
with the publication OF the note add
cd to the surprise In Official quarters
~ the character Ut Mr.. Rryan's argn.
nient. High officials said the note EN-.
ployed the very process persuasion,
which Mr., Bryan advocated and did
not necessarily lead to war.
The text OF the note follows:
Text Of American Note.
Washington, June 1.-THE text OF
the American retoinder To the Ger.
man governments reply to the note
following the sinking OF the L,sitania
In M follows:
The Secretary Of State ad interim to
the American Ambassador to
Berlin
Department OF State.
Washington, June 2, 1918.
american Ambassador, Berlin.
.You are instructed To deliver text.
TALLY the following note to the min
later OF foreign affairs
In compliance with your excel,
tency's request did not fail to trans
NIT TO my government Immediately
uron receipt your note May % in re.
ply to my note Of May Is. and your
supplementary note OF June |, set.
ting forth the conclusions so far as
Reached by the imperial German Gov.
srnncnt concerning the attacks ON the
American steamers Cushing and Gulf
tight am now instructed by my gov,
ernment to communicate the follow,
Ing reply:
Sea Free TO Neutrals.
The government of the United
States notes with qualification the full
recognition by the imperial German
government, In discussing the cases
OF the Gushing and the Guia.ght, oi
the principle Of the freedom OF al
parts Of the open sea to neutral ships
and the frank willingness Of the i'm
perial German government to acknowl
edge and meet Its liability where the
fact OF attack upon neutral ships
which have not been guilty OF an,
s>~~~~~.~~~-~~s~~~@~
Wants Army Of zoo, 900.