Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-06-18
PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY TO
THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT

States notes with qualification the full
recognition by the Imperial German
government, in discussing the cases
of the Cushing and the Gulfight, of
the principle of the freedom of all
parts Of the open sea - neutral ships
and the frank willingness of the I'M
perial German government to acknowl-
edge and meet its liability where the
fact Of attack upop neutral ships which
have not been guilty Of any hostile act
by Berman air craft or vessels of war
is satisfactorily established; and the
govevnment of the Uuited States will
I: due course lay before the Imperial
German government, as it requests,
full Information concerning the attack
on the steamer Cushing.
With regard to the sinking of the
steamer Falaba, by which an American
citizen lost his life, the government
Of the United States is surprised to
hnd the Imperial German government
contending that an effort on the part
of a merchantmen to escape and secure
assistance alters the obligation of the
officer seeking to make the capture in
respect of the safety of the lives of
those on board the merchantmen, al
though the vessel has ceased her at
tempt to escape when torpedoed.
These are not new circumstances.
They have been in the minds of states
men and of International jurists
throughout the development of naval
warfare, and the government of the
| United States does not understand
that they have ever been held to alter
the principles of humanity upon which
Il has insisted. Nothing but actual
forcible resistance OF continued eff
forts to escape by uight when ordered
to stop for the purpose of visit on the
part of the merchantmen has ever been
held to forfeit the lives of her passeng-
ers or crew. The government of the
United States, however, does not un-
derstand that the Imperial German
government is seeking in this case to
relieve itself Of liability, but only in
tends to set forth the circumstances
which led the commander of the sub
marine to allow himself to be hurried
into the course which he took.
Your excellency's note, in discuss
ing the loss of American lives result
NIX lIOul ln6 blukluk VI liz 6LCdllbulD
Lusitania, adverts at some length to
certain information which the Imperi-
al German government has received
with regard to the character and out
At Of that vessel and your excellency
expresses the fear that this informa-
ton may not have been brought to the
attention Of the government of the
United States. II is stated in the note
that the Lusitania was undoubtedly
equipped with masked guns, supplied
with trained gunners and special am.
munition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying a cargo not permit
ted under the laws of the United
States to a vessel also carrying pas
sengers and serving. in virtual effect
as an auxiliary to the naval forces OF
Great Britain. Fortunately these are
matters concerning which the govern
ment Of the United States is in a posi-
ton to give the Imperial German gov
eminent oficial information. OF the
facts alleged in your e~xcellency's note
II true, the government of the United
States would have been bound to taxi
official cognisance in performing it.
recognized duty as a neutral power
~ AZ OhAOA "A ITO AatAOAdl ldN6s Il
was its duty to see to 1t that the Lusi
tania was not armed for offensive &C
ton, that she was not serving as {
transport, that she did not carry a car
go prohibited by the statutes of tn,
United States, and that, II in fact, sh'
was a naval vessel Of Great Britain
she should not receive clearance as
merchantmen; and it performed tina
duty and enforced its statutes witt
scrupulous vigilance through its regu
larly constituted officials. 1t is able
therefore, to assure the Imperial Gel
man government that 1t has been mis-
informed. If the Imperial German gov
eminent should deem itself to be il
possession Of convincing evidence tina
the officials of the government of tn
United States did not perform thes
duties with thoroughness the over
ment of the United States ~sincerel
| hopes that 1t will submit that evidenc
for consideration.
Whatever may be the contents G
the Imperial German government RI
, garding the carriage of c~ontraband G
war on board the Lusitania or regard
ing the explosion of hat material b
the torpedo, 1t need only be said tha
T in view of this government these co
, tentions are irrelevant to the questio
. of the legality of the methods use
!. by the German naval authorities
|, sinking the vessel.
, But the sinking of passenger ship
, involves principles of humanity whic
throw into the background any specii
circumstances of detail that may b
> thought to affect the cases, principle
9 which lift II as the Imperial Germa
e government will no doubt be quick I
a recognize and acknowledge, out of th
/ class of ordinary subjects of dipl
+ matte discussion or of information;
II controversy. Whatever be the otht
facts regarding the Lusitania, tn
principal fact is, that a great steame
primarily and chiefly a c~onveyanC
:. for passengers, and carrying mol
than a thousand souls who had no pa
n or lot in the conduct of the war, we
torpedoed and sank without so muc
as a challenge or a warning, and tn,
men, women and children were sci
o to their death in circumstances unpa
alleled in modern warfare. The fal
that more than one hundred America
citizens we're among those who DIT
lished made II the duty of the cover
ment Of the United States to speak
these things and once more, wit
solemn emphasis, to call the attentiC
/ of the Imperial German government
the grave responsibility which the go
y eminent Of the United States co
y ceives that it has incurred in this ira
d ic occurrence, and to the indisputab
l, principle upon which that responsib
" ity rests. The government of the Ur
" ted States is ~contending for somethil
Ie much greater than mere rights
l. property Of privileges of commerc
II is ~contending for nothing less hi,
IL and sacred than the rights of huma
ity, which every government homo
ID itself in respecting and which no GO
. During the ensuing fight one of z