The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-05
President Making Changes
Before Transmitting
1t to Germany
NO DISCUSSION
OF FACTS NEEDED

tends to Abide by Prin, pies of In.
ternationa1 Law and Humanity in
Submarine Operations.
WASHINGTON, June 5. - President
Wilson was today putting the finishing
touches on his latest note to Germany
1t already has been approved in
principle by the cabinet All that was
needed today to start the note com
munieation on its way to Berlin was
the making of minor changes in the
phraseolo9y.
The President was expected to COM
plete the work of revision during the
day. The note viii then be sent to the
state department for transmission prob
ably tonight or tomorrow to Ambassa-
dor Gerard at Berlin, who viii present
it to the German foreign Office
Previous reports that the note would
be brief and emphatic are borne out,
| it is said, as it now stands.
The two important features in Presi-
| dent Wilson s note are:
| \ request for a direct expression
| from Germany as to whether or not
| she intends to abide by the principles
| Of international law and humanity ia
/ the conduct of her submarine opera
| tions
4 statement that the facts set forth
| in the President 5 first note in regard
| to the character of the Lusitania and
/ her cargo are accurate.
! Included in the note also viii be
what amounts to reiteration of the
demands made by the President in his
| first communication. These included a
! disavowal of intention to attack Amer
lcau lives or property, reparation in so
| far as reparation is possible and
prompt steps to insure this government
against a recurrance of the Lusitania
outrage.
The statement in regard to the ac
ieuraey of facts contained in the first
note will amount to an answer to thC
lGerman charge that the LuSitania was
an auxiliary cruiser In that she hat
two masked guns concealed below
deck. The President has made a care
ful investigation of all the facts il
connection with this charge. He ha
personally received the assurance o
Collector Malone that there were n
guns on the Lusitania, and in othe
Iwavs has satisfied himself beyond
/
ment stated the exact facts in its frs
communication to Germany.
1t is understood that the Presiden
has made the situation as easy as pos
, sibIe for Germany on the assumptio
THAT the imperial government has bee
Imisinforhed The statement in tn
President s note as to facts, howeve
| has been phrased in such a way as {
5 indicate clearly that no discussion c
f facts seems necessary and will not b
: acceptable until at least Germany ha
: declared herself on the principles il
vo1ved.
0 The general effect of the President
= note will be the reiteration of his fir
e communication with special emphas
Y laid upon the necessity of German
d promptly giving Americans assuranc,
e of protection on the high seas in col
4 formity with the principles Of internt
y tional law.
f Next to the action of the cabinet t.
most interesting development here #
dav in the international situation w;
the receipt of note from the Germa
e foreign office acknowledging III gre;
7 detail its blame for the torpedoing
e the American ship Gulhight cxpressir
II regret and declaring itself ready
:, furnish full compensation Tor the dal
II age sustained. In the note there
also partial acknowledgement of blan
for the dropping of bombs from
aeroplane upon the American sh
Cushing. Before Germany formal
acknowledges her responsibility f
Of the Cushing case, however, she asks t
United states for all the facts III t
possession of the state department
e as TO enable her to form just iud
te ment
re The tone of this latest commun1,
III ton was viewed with favor in Was
ington. 1t was regarded as evidenci
a desire by Germany to do evcrytnI
g possible to remove these two eases FRI
= the list of embarrassments between t
- two governments. The note, accordi
to the view of officials here, practica
NJ eliminates these two eases from furtl
~ ~ consideration, except as they streng
~ en- the demand of the United Sta.
that Germany give some assurances
the future and say whether or not
- intends to abide by the acknowIede
rules of international law.