Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-06-17
TEXT OF NOTE

Washington. June l0.-The text of the
American rejoinder to the German gov
frnmerts reply to the note following the
sinking Of the Lusltania follows:
The Secretary of State ad interim to
the American Ambassador at Berlin:
department of State,
washington, June o. 1915.
american Ambassador, Berlin:
You are instructed to deliver textually
the following note to the minister of for
eign affairs
in compliance with Your Excellency's
request ! did not fail to transmit to my
government Immediately upon their re-
cept your note Of May 2S in reply to my
note of May 15 and your supplementary
note OF June l, setting forth the con-
illusions so far as reached by the imperial
German government concerning the at
tacks or the American steamers Gushing
and Guiflight. l am now instructed by
my government to communicate the fol-
lowing in reply
THE government Of the United States
notes with qualification the full recogni-
ton by the imperial German govern
fnent, in discussing the cases OF the Cush
ing and the Outright. of the principle
OF the freedom Of all parts OF the open
sea 10 neutral ships and the frank will
lingness of the Imperial German govern
ment to acknowledge and meet its iabil
ity where the fact Of attack upon neutral
ships, which have not been guilty Of any
hostile act By German aircraft or YES
sells Of war Is satisfac torily established;
and the government Of the United States
will In duo course lay before the imperial
German government. as it requests, fun
Information concerning the attack on the
steamer Gushing.
CASE OF THE FALABA,
with regard to the sinking of the
steamer Falaba, by which an American
citizen lost his life, the government Of
the United States is surprised to find the
imperial German government conteuding
that all effort on the part Of merchant
man TO escape capture and secure assist
hnce alters the obligation of the officer
seeking to make the capture In respect
OF the safety of the lives OF those on
board the merchantmen, although the ves-
sci has csa sed her attempt to escape when
torpedoed These are not new circum-
stances They have been in the minds
Of statesmen and Of international jurists
throughout the development of naval
United States does not understand tina.
they have ever been held to alter the
principles OF humanity upon which 1t has
insisted Nothing but actual forcible re-
sistance or continued efforts to escape by
night when ordered to stop for the pur-
pose OF Visit on the part OF the mer-
chairman has ever been held to forfeit
the lives Of her passengers or crew. The
government OF the United States, how
ever, does not understand that the i'm
perial German government Is seeking in
this case to relieve itself of liability, but
only intends to set forth the circum-
stances which led the commander OF the
submarine TO allow himself to be hur-
rieh into the course which he took.
THE LUsITASIA AFFAIR.
Your Excellency's note, In discussing the
loss OF American lives resulting from
the sinking Of the steamship Lustania
adverts at some length to certain In
formation which the imperial German
government has received with regard t.
the character and outfit OF that vessel
and Your Excellency expresses the fea
that this information may not have beef