The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-07-22
FINAL WARNING TO
Be GIVEN GERMANY
Wilson and Lansing Agree on
Firm Answer to Kaiser.
WILL REAFFIRM SEA RIGHTS
Government Expected to Tell Berlin
That Friendly Relations Cannot
Be Continued Unless German
Submarines Cease Attacks.

be told substantially in the note now
being prepared at the state depart
ment and the White House that she
must not use the present situation as
club to hit Great Britain or to force
the American government to settle
her controversies with the English
government
This decision stands out pre-emi-
nently as the one new definite state
ment of attitude on the part OF the
United States toward Germany. Off,
Gals declare 1t will appear in the
forthcoming restatement OF the case
of the United States to Germany on
the Lusitania tragedy and and all cor
related subjects.
President Wilson, who returned here
Monday. lost no time in getting the
written views of the legal experts OF
the state department and both written
and oral communications from Secre-
tary Of State Lansing as to what the
reply should be.
Wants No Speculation.
The president made no comment on
the conference except to indicate, as
Is his desire, that there should be no
speculation" on the forthcoming re-
ply. This much Is nevertheless known
as coming from official sources:
The president and the secretary of
state had no reason to again discuss
the physical facts with respect to the
Lusitania. The history Of that tragedy
Is complete and Interchangeable so far
as facts are concerned.
The subjects of discussion between
the president and Mr.. Lansing, 1t is
asserted, were solely on the legal
aspects" Of the issue between the two
countries The reply, therefore, is to be
document dealing with information
al law and the obligation Of Germany
to conform her submarine war prac-
tees to that law"
The legal arguments were present
ed to the president in documents
voluminous enough to fill the portfolio
of the secretary Of state which he
took to the White House. In addition
to these, Mr.. Lansing also had the
views Of the German ambassador as
outlined in the recent conversations
between them at the state depart
ment The subject matter of these
conversations or oral arguments by
the ambassador will probably never be
made public, but it is admitted by all
Mt ~, hnt no hpg do hnI
doubtedly official warrant for the ex-
preston of his views and that there
fore they must be considered in the
final audit.
After the conference at the White
House there was the usual series of
unauthorized statements to the effect
that the situation was grave. If not
critical" etc. Secretary of State Ian
sing and the president said nothing.
A most capable authority in an
swer to a question as to what the
German note meant to the White
House In plain language, said:
THE German reply, stripped Of I'M
necessary language, Is simply that the
operations of her submarines are justi-
fed as reprisals against Great Brit
ain. In other words, that neutrals
must keep out of the war zones be-
cause they have no right there under
international law.
To outline Rights.
THE answer OF the United States
to that is that we have the absolute
right to send out our ships to German
ports and to British ports unless we
are shut out by processes recognized
by international law
Germany is. therefore, to be ad-
vised once more of our position as
thus outlined and we are to await her
reply.
Germany is also to be told for the
first time in language that cannot be
| misunderstood that there is a dis
tinct line OF cleavage between the
Anglo-Americar issues and the Amer
| ican-German issues"
From the views OF American off,
Gals. il seems they now understand
| the facts in the Gorman-American is.
! sue as they have been heretofore
! hluntly expressed by a very high Ger.
man official. He said that the crux
OF the whole question was whether
the United States had the right, with
out challenge. to sail all seas, even
those which had been set apart by
Great Britain and Germany as war
! zones.
Officials who have been in touch
with the president say that he will
most assuredly reaiIlrm the doctrine
Of the "indisputable' right Of sailing