Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-05-18
Declaring Injuries Done Citizens o.
United States Are "Without Meas
ure," President Calls For Guaran-
tee Against Their Recurrence.


tee Against Their Recurrence.
Washington. President Wilson's
note to Germany on the sinking of the
Lusitania was sent to Ambassador
Gerard Thursday for presentation to
the German Government
Germany must abandon her sub
marine attacks on merchant vessels.
This is the demand of the United
States, clear-eut and unequivocal. II
she refuses. the Government OF the
United States will take such action as
may be necessary in the performance
of its sacred duty Of maintaining the
rights of the United States and its
citizens and of safeguarding their free
exercise and enjoyment"
IL is for the future that Germany
rust give bond. Willing to accept
from her a disovowal of responsibility
for what has occurred, this Govern
ment, the note insists, must have
absolute assurances that the offenses
which have been committed will not
be repeated. And to that end the de-
mand is made that Germany shall
abandon her submarine attacks on
merchant ships. For, says the note:
"Manifestly submarines cannot be
used against merchantmen, as the last
few weeks have shown, without an
inevitable violation of many sacred
principles of justice and humanity"
The communication expresses the
confident expectation of the United
States that the Imperial German
Government will disavow the acts of
which the Government of the United
States complains, that they will make
reparation so far as reparation is pos
sible for injuries which are without
measure, and that they will take i'm
mediate steps to prevent the recur-
renee of anything to obviously sub
versive of the principles of warfare
for which the Imperial German Gov
eminent in the past SO wisely and SO
armly commended"
Time Has Come For Understanding.
The full text of the note as made
public by the State Department fol
lows:
Department of State,
Washington, May 10, 1915.
1.-THE Secretary of State of the Ameri-
can Ambassador at Berlin;
please call on the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and, after reading to
him a copy.
TN view of recent acts of the Ger
man authorities in violation of Ameri-
can rights on the high seas, which cul-
minated in the torpedoing and sinking
of the British steamship Lusitania on
May 7, 1915, by which over 100 Ameri-
can citizens lost their lives, it is clear
ly wise and desirable that the Govern
ment of the United States and the I'M
periol German Government should
come to clear and full understanding
as to the grave situation which has re-
suited.
1.-THE sinking of the British pas
senger steamer Falaba by a German
submarine on March %, through which
Leon C. Thrasher, an American ctti-
zen, was drowned; the attack on April
% on the American vessel Cushing by
a German acceptance: the torpedoing
on May l of the American vessel Gull
flight by a German submarine, as a
result of which two or more Ameri-
can citizens met their death; and,
finally the torpedoing and sinking of
the steamship Lusitania, constitute a
series of events which the Govern
ment of the United States has OBJ
served with growing concern, distress
and amazement.
Calls For DisavowaI OF Acts.
Recalling the humane and enlight-
lned attitude hitherto assumed by the
Imperial German Government In mat
ters of international right, and par
ticularly with regard to the freedom
of the seas; having learned to rec
ognize the German views and the Ger
man influence in the field of interna-
tional obligation as always engaged
upon the side of justice and humanity;
and having understood the instruc-
tiOhS of the Imperial German Govern
ment to its naval commanders to be
upon the same plane of humane action
prescribed by the naval codes of other
nations, the Government of the United
States was 10th to believe-it cannot
now bring itself to believe-that these
,~4a oh I1t nIK 90
rules, the practices and the spirit of
modern warfare, could have the coun-
tenance or sanction of that great gov
eminent II feels ii to be its duty,
therefore, to address the Imperial Ger
man Government concerning them
with the utmost frankness and in the
earnest hope that 1t is not mistaken in
expecting action on the part of the
Imperial German Government which
will correct the unfortunate impress
Tindicate once more the position of
that government with regard to the
sacred freedom of the seas.
Germany Cannot AbbreViate Ameri-
cans Rights.
THE Government of the United
States has been apprised that the I'M
perial German Government considered
themselves to be obliged by the ex-
traordinary circumstances of the pres
ent war and the measures adopted by
their adversaries in seeking to cut
Germany off from all commerce, to