The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1915-05-19
WILSON IS DETERMINED
ON COURSE TO PURSUE;
NOTE IN PREPARATION

The following statement on the
Lusitania incident was made public
at the White House Wednesday by
Secretary Tumulty, after a conference
with the president:
"The course of the president has
been determined. It will be announc-
ed just so soon as it is proper to pub
lish the note now in preparation"
President Wilson virtually complet-
ed Wednesday the note he will send
to Germany as result of the sinking
| of the Lusitania.
It asks Germany for an accounting
| for the series Of violations of Ameri-
can rights in the war zone-not only
| financial, but moral-and a guarantee
that there will be no repetition Of un-
lawful practices of German subma-
rines.
Early Thursday the note, now ap-
proved by the cabinet, will be sent to
Am AMBASSADOR Gerard to be presented
to the Berlin government. It's final
uSIdllo al q DCluS 1OfA0Co Cdl Sl
Members of the cabinet who always
have advocated a vigorous foreign
policy are satisfied with it's terms
conservative members approve it also
| That it maintains the dignity and
honor of the United States is their
unanimous opinion.
The president, it is said, realizes
fully the gravity Of meaning in the
note and is prepared for any even.
,alities that may follow its presenra.
| uon.
The note does not say exactly what
the course of the United States will
be in case of refusal, nor would
the presidents advisers indicate
| Wednesday beyond saying that each
new development would be consider
ed as it arose.
In official quarters, however, even
tual severance of diplomatic rela-
tions with Germany is declared not
the German practices.
The announcement from the White
House was taken to mean that the
American government observing the
| usual diplomatic amenities, would
await receipt of the communication
in Berlin before making it public. At
first, there was some suggestion that
the communication be sent personal
ly by the president to Emperor Will
liam, but Mr. Wilson determined that
| it should be addressed not to an in
dividual, but to the German govern
ment and through it to the German
people.
The United States naturally seeks
financial reparation, but it's protest
now is in the name of international
law and humanity to obtain a guar
antee that such tragedies will not be
repeated, and the lives Of non-com-
batants sacrificed.
While high officials were retictenr
in discussing it's contents, it was
agreed the note voiced the inteuse
feeling of the United States over re-
cent occurrences in the war zone.
The communication lays stress on
the inhumanity of attacks, without
warning, on merchant vessels. 1t re-
views in a general way every case in
the war zone in which the rights of
American citizens have been trans
gressed-the sinking of the Falaba
with the loss of Leon C. Thresher, an
American; the attack by German air.
men on the American steamer Cush-
ing; the torpedoing of the American
ctaamar C111f1ioht while flVin1 the
American flag; and finally the de-
struction of the Lusitania, with the
loss of more than one thousand non
combatants, and more than one hun
dred of them Americans.
The note, while firm and pointed,
does not abandon tones Of friendli-
ness, giving room for disavowal by
Germany of her acts or an abatement
of her practices
Germany is called on for an expla-
nation of her past and future course,
but the note leaves open the steps
the United States will take to compel
an acquiescence in it's position. 1t
calls attention to the fact that while
warning advertisements appeared in
the newspapers, the United States
government never was informed that
the Lusitania would be torpedoed.
Irrespective of that, however, the
position is taken that the serving of
notice to do an unlawful act neither
justifes it nor makes it lawful.
CHI Tyy nT MJIDNCD