Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-09-18
PAY FOR ARABIC
DEATHS REFUSED
Germany FIatIy Rejects An, IN.
demnity Claim.
REGRETS THE LOSS OF LIFs
Note to American Government sav,
Submarine Commander Was jus.
titled in Action by Fear
OF Attack.

Berlin (via Amsterdam, Sept g
Germany in her note to the United
States government on the sinking ~
the Arabic expresses regret for the
loss of American lives, but states Nos.
itively that no indemnity for such can
be granted.
The refusal to grant indemnity ia
absolute and will stand even if tho
submarine commander should have
been mistaken as to aggressive inten.
tions on the part of the Arabic.
Following is the text of the note.
made public tonight:
On August 19 a German submarine
stopped the English steamer Dunsley
about sixteen nautical miles south of
Kinsale and was on the point Of sink.
ing the prize by guntire after the
crew had left the vessel. At this mo.
ment the commander saw a large
steamer, as developed later. the Ara.
bic. She was recognized as an enemy
vessel, as she did not fly any flag and
bore no neutral markings
When she approached she altered
her original course, but then again
pointed directly toward the submarine.
From this the commander became con-
WINGED that the steamer had the in
tention Of attacking and ramming i'm.
In order to anticipate this attack he
gave orders for the submarine to dive
and fired a torpedo at the steamer.
After firing he convinced himself that
the people on board were being res
cued in IS boats.
According to his instructions. the
commander was not allowed to attack
the Arabic without warning and with
out saving the lives unless the shipat-
tempted to escape or offered resist
ance He was forced, however, to con-
clude from the attendant circum-
stances that the Arabic planned a yio-
lent attack on the submarine.
This conclusion is all the more OBJ
vious as he had been fired upon at a
great distance in the Irish sea on Au-
gust 14-that is, a few days before
by a large passenger steamer, appar-
emily belonging to the British Royal
Mail Steam Packet company, which be
had neither attacked nor stopped.
The German government most deep
ly regrets that lives were lost through
the action of the commander It par
ticularly expresses this regret to the
government of the United States on
account of the death of American citi-
zens.
The German government is unable.
however. to acknowledge any oblga'
ton to grant indemnity in the matter,
even if the commander should have
been mistaken as to the aggressive IN
tentions of the Arabic.
If 1t should prove to be the case that
it is impossible for the German and
American governments to reach a har'
monious opinion on this point. the Ger
man government would be prepared TO
submit the difference of opinion, as be-
ing a question of international law TO
The Hague tribunal for arbitration
pursuant to article SO Of The hague
convention for the pacific settlement
Of international disputes.
In so doing it assumes that as a mat
ter of course the arbitral decision snail
not be admitted to have the impof'
lance OF a general decision on the per
instability or the converse under IN
ternational law. of German submarine
warfare.