The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-06-11
REPLY TO NOTE ON LUsITANlA
RECEIVED AT WASHINGTON
NO GUARANTEES MADE.
WTRHOLDS FINAL DECISION
Germany Claims to be Willing to Aban-
don Submarine Warfare Against
Merchantmen If England Lifts
Embargo, ETC., Etc.


nection with the sinking Of the Lusl-
tania until the receipt of an answer
from the United States to the note
which Herr Won Jagow, the foreign
minister, delivered Sunday to Amoas-
sador Gerard, in reply to the Amerl-
can note received by the German gov
eminent May 15
In its reply the German govern
ment declares that it is not its In
tention to submit neutral ships IN
the war zone, which are guilty OF no
hostile acts, to attacks by submarines
or aeroplanes; that it is investigating
the circumstances in connection with
the attacks on the steamers Cushing
and Gulflight and that in all cases
where neutral vessels, through no
fault of their own, have been dam
aged, Germany will pay indemnlflca-
ton,
The reply urges that in the case
of the Lusitania, which Germany al
leges was armed and carried large
stores of war munitions, it was "act-
ing in justified self-defense in seek
ing with all the means Of warfare
at its disposition to protect the lives
of it's soldiers by destroying ammuni-
ton intended for the enemy"
The German government recalls
the proposals submitted by the Unit
ed stetes government to Berlin and
London designed to end the subma-
rine warfare and the shutting out OF
food supplies from Germany, which,
it declares, failed of their purpose be-
cause Of the refusal of the British
government to agree to them.
Germany Answers Communication.
The following is the text of the
German note:
THE undersigned has the honor to
submit to Ambassador Gerard the fol
lowing answer to the communication
of May Is regarding injury of Ameri'
can interests through German sub
marine warfare:
1.-THE imperial government has sub
1ected the communication of the
American government to thorough
investigation and entertains a keer
wish to cooperate in frank anc
friendly way in clearing up posi-
Bile misunderstanding which may have
arisen In the relations between the
two governments through the events
mentioned by the American govern
ment.
Regarding, firstly, the case Of thu
American steamers Cushing and Gulf
light. The American embassy has al
ready been informed that the German
government has no intention Of sub
hitting neutral ships in the war zone
which are guilty of no hostile acts, t
attacks by submarines or ayiators
On the contrary, the German forces
have repeatedly been instructed mos
specifically to avoid attacks on sucl
ships.
"IsoIated.ExceptIonaI Cases."
"If neutral ships in recent months
i have suffered through the German
AZ submarine warfare, owing to mistake
in Identification, 1t is a question onl,
of quite isolated and exceptional case
which can be attributed to the Brit
ish governments abuse of flags, tc
gether with the suspicion of culpabl
behavior Of the masters Of the ships
1.-THE German government in a.
cases in which it has been shown b
its Investigations that a neutralsshiI
not itself at fault, was damaged b
German submarines or aviators ha
expressed regret over the unfortunat
accident and if justified by condition
has offered naturalization.
'The case of the Cushing and tn
Gulflight will be treated on the sam
principles, An investigation of bot
cases is in progress, the result G
which presently will be communicate
to the embassy. The investigator
can, if necessary, be supplemented b
an international call on the inferno
tional commission Of industry as pre-
vided by article of The Hague agree
ment of Oct, 18, 1907.
when sinking the British steame
Falaba, the commander of the Germa
submarine had the intention Of ALLOW
ing the passengers and crew full o.
portunity for a safe escape. 0nl
when the master did not obey the O
der to heave to, but fled and sun
moned help by docket signals, did tn
German commander order the Gre
and passengers by signals and meg
phones to leave the ship within te
minutes. He actually allowed thel
twenty-three minutes time and fire
the torpedo only when suspicion
Good Wheat Yield Expected.