The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-06-04
GERMANS FINAL
DECISION WITHHELD
GERMAN NOTE SAYS PASSEN.
GERS COULD HAVE ESCAPED
FROM LUSlTANIA.
WILLPAY FOR NEUTRAL SHIPS
Makes No Promise to End Submarine
War While England Tries to
Starve Out Germany.

Berlin.-Germany Withholds Its
final decision on the demands al
vanced by the United States govern
ment in connection with the SINKING
of the Lusitania, until the receipt OF
an answer from the United States to
the note which Herr Won JagoW, the
foreign minister, has delivered to Am
bassador Gerard in reply to the Amer
lean note received by the German
government on May Is.
In it's reply the German govern
ment declares that it is not its lnten'
ton to submit neutral ships in the
war zone, which are guilty of no hos
tile acts, to attacks by submarines or
aeroplanes; that it is investigating the
circumstances in connection with the
attacks on the American steamers
Gushing and Gulfight, and that In all
cases where neutral vessels, through
no fault Of their own, have been dam
aged, Germany will pay indemnifica-
ton.
The reply urges that in the case of
the Lusitania, which Germany al
Ieges 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
its soldiers by destroying ammuni'
ton intended for the enemy
The German government recalls the
proposals submitted by the United
States 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.
The following is the text of the
German note:
1.-THE undersigned has the honor to
submit to Ambassador Gerard the fol-
lowing answer to the communication
OF May 16, regarding the injury TO
American interests through German
submarine warfare.
The imperial government has sub
jected the communication of the Amer
lean government to t. thorough investi-
cation. 1t entertains also keen wish
to cooperate in a frank and friendly
way in clearing up possible mlsun-
derstanding which may have arisen IN
the relations between the two govern
ments through the events mentioned
by the American government.
Regarding. firstly, the cases of the
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, to
attacks by a submarine or submarines
or aviators. On the contrary, the Ger
man forces have repeatedly been In
structed most specifically to avoid at
tacks on such ships.
IF neutral ships in recent months
have suffered through the German sub.
marine warfare, owing to mistakes II
naturalization, it is a question only OF
NehSSs7
which can be attributed to the British
governments abuse of flags, together
with the suspicious or culpable beha
vior of the masters of the ships.
THE German government in all case
in which it has been shown by it's in
vestigations that neutral ship, no
itself at fault. was damaged by German
submarines or aviators, has expressed
regret over the unfortunate accident
inc NV
fered Naturalization
The cases Of the Cushing and tn
Gulf1ight will be treated on the sam
principles. An investigation of bot
cases is in progress, the result of whicl
will presently be communicated to tn
embassy. The investigation can, i
necessary, be supplemented by an in
ternational call on the internationa
commission of inquiry, as provided b
article 3 of The Hague agreement O
October Is, 1907.
when sinking the British steame
Falaba, the commander of the Germa
submarine had the intention of allow
ing the passengers and crew full op
portunity for a safe escape Onl
when the commander did not obey tn
order to heave to. but fled and sum
moned help by rocket signals, did tn
German commander order the crew an
passengers Dy signals and meRaphOn
to leave the ship within ten minute!
He actually allowed them twenty-five
minutes time and fired the torped
only when suspicious craft were has
tcning to the assistance of the Falabs
Regarding the loss of life by tn
sinking of the British passenger steam
.er Lusitania, the German government
has already expressed to the neutra
governments concerned its keen regre
that citizens of their states lost thei
lives.
ION this occasion the imperial gov
eminent, however, cannot escape tn
impression that certain important fact
having direct bearing on the sinkin
of the Lusitania may have escaped tn
attention of the American govern
ment
''In the interest OF clear and com
plete understanding, which is the air
of both governments, the imperial gov
eminent considers it first necessary t
convince itself that the informatio
accessible to both governments abou
the facts of the case Is complete an
lin accord.
States proceeds on the assumption tina
the Lusitania could be regarded as a
ordinary unarmed merchantmen. TIL
imperial government allows itself i
this connection to point out that tn
President Wilson's Father.
Jp on oddrosc at Wochin of on p,