Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-05-19
WILSON DEMANDS
GERMANY CEASE
UNDER-SEA WAR
EOTE TO BERLIN GIVES u. S.
STAND ON TEUTON
SEA CAMPAIGN.
TRAVEL TO BE PROTECTED
Says Americans Will Be Afforded
Safety on Demonstrating
Attacks on Unarmed Ships
Called LawIess.

Washington, May 14-The text of
the note from the United States to
the German imperial government
transmitted today to Ambassador
Gerard at Berlin, and to be presented
tomorrow morning to the German for
eign office, reads as follows:
''The secretary of state to the
American ambassador at Berlin:
Department of state, Washington,
May IS, 1915.
Please call on the minister of for
eign affairs and after reading to him
this communication leave with him
a copy.
Text of U. S. Note.
''In view of recent acts of the Ger
man authorities in violation of Amer
lean rights on the high seas which
eliminated in the torpedoeing and
sinking of the British steamship
Lusitania on May z, 1915, by which
over 100 American citizens lost their
lives, it is clearly wise and desirable
that the government of the United
States and the imperial German gov
eminent should come to clear I'M
derstanding as to the grave situation
which has resulted.
Cites Three Attacks.
"The sinking of the British passen-
ger steamship Falaba by a German
submarine on March %, through
which Leon C. Thrasher, an Ameri-
can citizen was drowned; the attack
on April % 81 the American vessel
Cushing by a German aeroplane; the
torpedoeing on May / of the Ameri-
can vessel Gulflight by a German
submarine, as the result of which two
| or more American citizens met their
ldeath, and finally the torpedoeing
land sinking of the steamship Lusi-
tania, constitute a series of events
Which the government of the United
States has observed with growing
concern. distress and amazement.
Contrary to War Rule.
"Recalling the humane and en-
frightened attitude hitherto assumed
bH the imperial German government
in matters of international right, and
particularly with regard to the free
dOdp of the seas; having learned to
rec1gnize the German views and the
GerIpan influence in the field of in
ternhtional obligation as always en-
gageF upon the side of justice and
humanity, and having understood the
Instructions of the imperial German
\ government to its naval commanders
y TO be upon the same plane of hui
name action, prescribed by the naval
codes of other nations. the govern
ment of the United States was loath
TO believe tit cannot now bring it
self to believe-that these acts, so
absolutely contrary to the rules. the
. practice and the spirit of modern
& 10 address the imperial German gov
eminent concerning them with the
1 utmost frankness and in the earnest
(. hope that it is not mistaken in ex-
Hpecting action on the part of the I'M
perial German government which
VIII correct the unfortunate impress
Slons which have been created and
,e Vindicate once more the position of
+ that government with regard to the
b sacred freedom of the seas.
The government of the United
states has been appraised that the i'm
perlal German government consider
led themselves to be Obliged by the
q extraordinary circumstances of the
present war and the measures adopt
I'd by their adversaries in seeking to
vt Germany off from all commerce,
Sdopt methods of retaliation which
Much beyond the ordinary meth
warfare at sea, in the proclaim
pr war zone, from which they
Awarned neutral ships to keep
Strikes at War Zone.
LTnis government has already
X6en occasion to inform the imperial
German government that it cannot
fadmit the adoption of such measures
or such warning of danger to OPP
| crate as in any degree an abrevia-
ton of the rights of American ship
masters or of American citizens
bound on lawful errands as passen-
gers on merchant ships of belligerent
natlonahties; and that it must hold