The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-05-14
M a in t e n nee of
Friendly Relations
Now Up to Kaiser
NO JUSTIFICATION
FOR LUSITANIA
Warnings Conferred
No Right to Com
nit Unlawful Act
BY JOHN EDWIN NEvIN.

BY JOHN EDWIN NEPiN.
(sfar Correspondent Tinted Press.)
WASHINGTON. May l4-Wheth-
er or not the United States u to
continue on friendly relatioSy With
Germany hinged today upon one
mans position.
This man is Emperor William.
oficih Washington realized that
with Amer rica's last word condemn
ing German methods OF submarine
warfare delivered to the Berlin for.
eign once. the military party In the
fatherlRnd--and IL In the dominant
party---~ill demand that President
Wilson's request be contemptuously
rejected
II Will he the kaiser, however. who
will have the last word. II is known
that the president and all HIS cab.
inet members, and unofficial advis-
ers are hopeful that the kalser's in.
fuence finally will prevail.
Washington was anxious today
There Was a gravity in official quar-
ters that has been absent since the
stirring days Immediately following
the blowing up OF the Maine and
those when American bluejackets
and marines were battling in the
streets OF Vera Cruz. The latest
American note 10 Germany--signed
Bryan" but representing the final
word OF President Wilson himself
abounds in assurances. OF long-con.
tinued friendship and expresses the
belief that many OF the unfriendly
German acts complained OF resulted
from INSTRUMENTATION OF orders to
subordlnates. Stripped. however, OF
all this verbiage. made necessary
by diplomatic usages, the note Is
first demand and secondly a
threat.
American citizens act within
their indisputable rights In taking
their ships and In travelling where
ever their business calls them upon
the high seas, and exercise those
rights in what should be the we'll
justified confidence that their lives
will not be endangered by acts done
I'm clear violation OF universally ac-
knowlcdged international obliga-
tions. and certainly In the conn
dence that their own government
will sustain them in the exercise Of
their rights"
Such Is the Wilson administra-
tons new Declaration Of Indepen.
dcnce. Penned for Germany, 1t Is
equally applicable to all powers OF
the world. American citizens are
to 20 where they have legitimate
business and they are to have their
home governments protection. So
far "a Germany 10 concerned. how
ever, the United States has gone
much farther. Right at the notes
outset. the Falaba. Cushing. Gulf
light and Lusitania Incidents are
cited as constituting n series OF
events which this government has
observed with growing concern.
distress and amaxement."
These acts are characterized d..
rectly as 40 absolutely contrary to
the rules, the practices and the
spirit OF modern warfare that the
United States cannot bring Itself to
believe that they could have the
1countenance or sanction OF the i'm,
pcrfal government" &
This IL Americas position today.
II believes German submarines ran
amuck through the misdirected zeal
OF the Berlin admiralty and OF
squadron commanders.
II holds the olive branch out TO
Germany In asking her to disavow
such acts.
Yet II is not so much the past
4, (Coatiased On Pass Twe).