Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-06-18
RIGHTS OF
IS The
Berlin so Informed
in i. S. Note.
PERFORMED OUR DUTY
The Character OF LuSItdnId'S
Outfit Was Legal.
OUR LAWS WERE OBSERVED
faIsba S Attempt 10 Escape Didn't
Forfeit Passengers Lives.
our LAWS WERE OBSERVED
faIsba Attempt 10 Escape Dldn I
Forfeit Passengers Lives.

The United States, in its latest note
to Germany, formally asks the I'M
perial German government for assur-
ances that measures hereafter Will be
adopted to safeguard american lives
and American ships on the high seas.
The alternative in case Of refusal Is
not stated.
The German government, 1t is de-
clared, must have been misinformed
when it assumed that the Lusitanla
carried guns, as official information IS
at hand to corroborate the original
contention of the Washington govern
ment-that the Lusitania was an un-
armed passenger ship which, since 1t
did not resist capture, could not be
sunk without transferring passengers
and crew to a place of safety.
The communication informs Ger
many that it is ION the principle OF
humanity as we'll as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States :4''st stand" The note
follows:
The Secretary of State ad interim to
the American Ambassador at Berlin:
Department OF State, Washington,
June 8, 1915.
American Ambassador, Berlin:
You are instructed TO deliver teX'
tually the following note to. the MIN
lister or foreign AFFAIRS.
In compliance with your eXceilen-
cy's request, | did not fail to transmit
to my government Immediately upon
their receipt of your note of May 20
in reply to my note of May 10, and
Your supplementary note OF June l,
setting forth the conclusions so far
as reached by the imperial German
the American steamers Cushing and
Gulfight. | am now instructed by my
government to communicate the fol-
lowing in reply:
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 Gultlight, of the
principle OF the freedom of all parts
of the open sea to neutral ships ana
the frank willingness of the imper al
German government tc acknowledge
and meet its liability where the fact
of attack upon neutral ships (which
have not been guilty of any hostile
act" by German aircraft or vessels OF
war is satisfactorily established; and
the government of the United States
will In due course lay before the i'm
perial government, as 1t requests, full
information concerning the attack on
the steamer Gushing.
The Faaba's Attempt to Escape.
~ ip1y Of O
steamer Falaba, by which an Ameri-
can citizen lost his life, the govern.
ment of the United States is surprised
to find the imperial German govern
ment contending that an effort on the
part of a merchantmen to escape cap
ture and secure assistance alters the
obligation OF the officer seeking to
make the capture in respect to the
safety of the lives Of those on board
the merchantmen, although the vessel
has ceased her attempt to escape
when torpedoed.
These are not new circumstances.
statesmen and OF international jur:sts
throughout the development OF naval
warfare, and the government Of the
United States does not understand
that they have ever been held to alte.'
the principles of humanity upon which
it has insisted. Nothing but actual for
chile resistance or continued efforts
to escape by flight, when ordered to
stop for the purpose OF visit Oh the
part of the merchantmen has ever
been held to forfeit the lives of her
passengers or crew.
The government of the United
States, however, does not und erstand
that the imperial government is seek
ing in this case to relieve itself Of ia
bility, bat only intends to set forth
the circumstances which led the COM
mander of the submarine to allow him.
self to be hurried into the course
which he took.
Misinformed as to Lusitania's Outfit
Your excellency's note, in dicuss!ng
the loss Of American lives resulting
from the sinking of the steamship
luSitania, advertS at some length to
certain information which the impe-
rial German government has received
with regard to the character and out
fit of that vessel, and your eycellency
expresses the fear that this informa.
tion may not have been brought to
the attention Of the government of
the United States. 1t is stated In the
note that the Lusitania was undoubt-
edly equipped with masked guns, sup
piled with trained gunners and special
ammunition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying cargo not permit
ted under the laws of the United
States to vessel also carrying pas
sengers and serving, in virtual effect,
Ds an auxiliary to the naval forces of
Great Britain.
Fortunately these are matters con-
cerning which the government of the
United States is in a position to give
the imperial German government off
cial information. Of the facts alleged
in your excellency's note, if true, the
government of the United States
would have been bound to take official
cognizance in performing Its recog-
nized duty as neutral power and in
enforcing Its national laws.
1t was It's duty to see to 1t. that the
Lusitania was not armed for offensive
action, that she was not serving as
transport, that she did not carry a
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