Connecticut western news., 1915-05-20
GERARD PRESENTSI
 AMERICAN NOTE
Protection of Our Rights on
 Seas Demanded.
TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT
Note Sent by Wilson to German Gov ernmsnt Is Firm, but It's Tone Is Friendly - Cessation of Submarine Program Is Requested of Kaiser.

Friendly - Cessation of Submarine Program Is Requested of Kaiser.
 President Wilson sent the following note to the German imperial govern ment. which was delivered to the Der
 lin foreign office by Ambassador Ger ard. In part it reads:
 | The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador at Berlin. Department of | State Washington, May 13.
 Pleace call on the minister of foreign 1 affairs and after reading to him this com munication leave with him a copy. In view of recent acts of the German authorities in violation of American rights on the high seas. which eliminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania on May '. 1915. by which over loo 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 a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted,
 The sinking of the British passenger steamer Falaba by a German submarine on March &. through which Leon Thresher, an American citizen. was drowned; the attack on April 2S on the American vessel Cushing by a German aeroplane: the torpedoing on May 1 of the American vessel Gu'hight by Ger man submarine, as a result of which two or more American citizens met their death. and. finally. the torpedoing and sinking of the steamship Lusitania. consti- tute a series of events which the govern. ment of the United States has observed with growing concern. distress and amaze ment.
 Recalls Humane Attitude.
 Recalling the humane and enlightened attitude hitherto assumed by the imperial German government in matters of interna- tional right and particularly with regard to the freedom of the seas, having learned to recognize the German views and the German influence in the field of interna- tional obligation as always engaged upon the side of justice and humanity and hay ing understood the instructions of the i'm. perial German government .p its naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humane action prescribed by the naval codes of other nations, the government or the United States was loath to believe-it cannot now bring itself to believe-that these acts so absolutely contrary to the rules. the practices and the spirit of mod ern warfare. could have the countenance or sanction of that great government. T. feels it to be its duty. therefore to address the imnerIal German government concern ing them with the utmost frankness and in the earnest hone that 1t is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imre- rial German government which will cor rect the unfortunate impressions which. have been ted and vindicate once more the position of that government with gard to the sacred freedom of the seas.
 The government of the United States has been apprsed that the imperial German government considered themselves to he obliged by the extraordinary cireuu- stances of the present war and the meas
 
 ing to cut Germany off from all commerce. to adopt methods of retaliation which Sa, much beyond the ordinary methods Of warfare at sea in the proclamation of a war zone from which they have warned neutral ships to keep away.
 This government has already taken oc- casion to inform the imperial German gov ernment that it cannot admit the adoption of such measures or such warning Of danger to operate as in any degree an abbreviation of the rights of American shipmasters or of American citizens bouud on lawful errands as passengers on uer- chant ships of beligerent nationality and that it must hold the imperial German government to a strict accountahilftv for any infringement of these rights, inten- tional or accidental.
 Objects to Present Methods.
 The government of the United States therefore desires to call the attention of the imperial German government with the utmost earnestness to the fact that the objection to their present method of at tack against the trade of their enemies lies in the practical impossibility of em ploying submarines in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness. justice and humanity which all modern opinion regards as i'm perative. It is practically impossible for the officers of submarine to visit mer- chantman at sea and examine her papers and cargo
 Long acquainted as this government has been with the character of the impe rial German government and with the high principles of equity by which they have in the past been actuated and guild ed. the government of the United States cannot believe that the commanders of the vessels which committed these acts Of lawlessness did so except under a misap- prehension of the order issued by the i'm perial German naval authorities. It takes it for granted that at least within the pra ctical possibility of every such case the commanders of submarines were expected to do nothing that would involve the lives of noncombatants or the safety of neutral ships. even at the cost of failing of their object of capture or destruction. The government and people of the Unit ad States look to the imperial German i government for just. prompt and enlight- ened action in this vital matter with the greater confidence because the United I States and Germany are bound together not only by special ties of friendship. but also by the explicit stipulations of the | treaty of 1928 between the United States | and the kingdom of Prussia.
 Expressions of regret and offers of repa ration in case of the destruction of neutral i ships sunk by mistake, while they may ! satisfy international obligations if no loss
 of life results. cannot justify or excuse
 practice the natural and necessary effec- ] of which is to subject neutral nations and i neutral persons to new and immeasuraElc lc | risks.
 The imperial German government will not expect the government of the United | States to omit any word or any act ueccs- 1 sary to the performance of it's eacred duty | of maintaining the rights of the United | States and It's citizens and of safeguard ] thnir free c..nrrisn and an tn,.rnnnt