Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1915-05-20
UNITED STATES
SENDS PROTEST
CALLS GERMANY'S ATTENTION
TO GRAVE sITUATION-MUST
OBSERVE AMERICAS RIGHTS

States government yesterday cabled
Ambassador Gerard for presentation
to the German government q note call
inr attention Ito the grave situation
which has resulted from violation Of
American rights on the high seas, cu!-
minating in the sinking OF the Lusl.
tania. with q loss of more than 1OO
American lives. :,
The communication expresses the
confident expectation of the United
States "that the imperial German gov
ernment will disavow the acts Of which
the government Of the United States
complain, that they will make rePara-
ton so far as reparation is possible 1o1
injuries which are without measure
and that they will take immediate
steps to prevent the reoccurrence o.
anything so obviously subservlse OF
the principles of warfare for which the
imperial German government IN the
past so wisely and so firmly contend
ed."
In its conclusion, the note states
that "the chief imperial German gov
ernment will not expect the govern
ment of the United States to omit any
ward or act necessary to the perform
ance of its sacred duty Of maintaining:
the rights of the United States and
it's citizens and of safeguarding their
free exercise and enjoyment"
The full text of the note was made
public last night by the state depart
ment as follows:
department of state, Washington,
D. c., May 13, 15.-The secretary
of state to the American ambassador
at Berlin: "Please call on the minis
ter of foreign affairs and after read
ing to him this communication, leave
with him copy.
s'In view of recent acts of the Ger
man authorities in violation of Ameri-
can rights on the high seas, which cul-
minated in the torpedoing and sink
ing Of the British steamer Lusitan,a
on May z, 1915, by which over 100
American citizens lost their lives, it Is
clearly wise and desirable that the
government Of the United States and
the imperial German government
should come to clear and full under
standing as to the grave situation
which has resulted.
"The sinking of the British passen-
ger steamer Fabala by German sub.
marine on March %, through which
Leon C. Thrasher, an American citi-
zen, was drowned; the attack, on
April %, on the American vessel Cush'
ing by German aeroplane, the tor
needing, on May 1, Of the American
vessel Gulflight by a German subma-
rine. as result Of which two or more
American citizens met their death;
and. finally, the torpedoing and sink
ing of the Lusitania, constitute q
series of events which the government
Of the United States has observed
with growing concern, distress and
amazement. 80,
"Recalling the humane and enlight-
ened attitude hitherto assumed ny the
imperial German government IN mat
ters of international right and par
ticularly with regard to the freedom
of the seas; having learned to recog.
nize the German views and the Ger.
man influence in the field of interna.
tional obligation as always engaged
upon the side of justice and humanity
and having understood the instruc'
tions of the imperial German govern
ment to its naval commanders to be
upon the same plane of humane ae.
ton, prescribed by the naval codes Of
other nations the government OF the
United States was loath to believe
that these acts so absolutely contrary
to the rules, the practices, and the
spirit of modern warfare, could have
the countenance or sanction of that
great government. It feels it to be its
duty, therefore, to address the imper'
ial German government concerning
them with the utmost frankness anc
IN the earnest hope that it is not mis-,
taken in expecting action on the par
of the imperial German government
which will correct the unfortunate I'M
pressions which have been created and
yindicate once more the position o.
that government with regard to tn
sacred freedom of the seas: :. :.
s'The government Of the United
States has been appraised that the i'm
perial German government considered
themselves to be obliged by the extra
ordinary circumstances OF the presen'
war and the measures adopted BY
their adversaries in seeking to Gu
Germany off from all commerce, II
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LUMBER MILL