The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-06-15
i. 5. TELLS BERLIN
OLD WARFARE RULES
MUST GOVERN CRAFT
Presidents Note Insists on Safe.
ty of Noncombatants at Sea.
DIPLOMATIC DOOR LEFT OPEN
No Suggestion of Buster 10 Given In
Second Document Sent TO German
overnment-Wilson Insists Lusi-
tania Was Not Armed, But
Evidence Is Invited.

Washington, June 11.-There was a
general feeling Of relief in Washing
ton when the United States note to
Germany was made public by the state
department and the nature Of its
terms became generally known.
The note is less aggressive, less pro-
vocative in its language than the note
of May 10.
There was no dissent from that
view. The new note contains not a
suggestion of buster. There are no
such phrases In it as strict accounta-
bility'' or omit any word or act nee
essary," such as gave the note of May
ID a menacing character.
It was the absence Of such threat
ening phrases which created the gen.
eral impression that the new note
gave assurance of a peaceable settle
ment of the issue between the two
countries.
But there is no abatement of the In
sistence upon the principles of inter-
national law which the president
sought to uphold in his previous COM
munication.
He still contends that the sacred
rights of humanity were violated by
the sinking of the Lusitania, and that
all the questions raised by Germany
as to the character of the vessel are
irrelevant.
He reasserts that upon this princi-
pie of humanity, as well as upon the
law founded upon this principle, the
United States must stand"
He still maintains that the sinking
OF the Falaba was unjustified
He declares that the United States
very earnestly and very solemnly re-
news the representations Of its note
transmitted to the imperial German
government on the 18th of May
He still asserts that American citi-
zens bound on lawful errands have a
right to travel on merchant ships OF
belligerent nationality without being
placed in jeopardy by German sub
marine warfare.
And he concludes by saying:
1.-The government of the United
States therefore deems it reasonable
to expect that the imperial German
government will adopt the measures
necessary to put these principles into
practice in respect of the safeguard
ing of American lives and American
ships. and asks for assurances that
this will be done"
Text of Note to Germany.
Following is the text of President
Wilson's second note to Germany OF
the sinking of the Lusitania:
american Ambassador, Berlin
You are instructed to deliver text
ually the following note to the min
lister of foreign affairs:
I'm compliance with your excel
lency's request l did not fail to trans
nit to my government Immediately
upon their receipt your notes of May
% in reply to my note of May Is, and
your supplementary note of June l
setting forth the conclusions so far as
reached by the imperial German gov
eminent concerning the attacks or
the American steamers Cushing and
Gulfight. / am now instructed by my
government to communicate the fol
lowing in reply:
VIII Give Full information.
THE government of the United
States notes with qualification the full
recognition by the imperial German
government, in discussing the cases o.
the Cushing and the Gulfiight, of the
principle of the freedom Of all parts
OF the open sea to neutral ships anC
the frank willingness of the imperia
German government to acknowledge
and meet it's liability where the fact O.
attack upon neutral ships which hav,
not been guilty of any hostile act b.
German aircraft or vessels of war i!
satisfactorily established; and tn,
government of the United States will
In due course, lay before the imperia
German government as it requests
full information concerning attack oil
the steamer Cushing.
With regard to the sinking of tn
steamer Falaba, by which an Ameri
can citizen lost his life, the govern
ment of the United States Is surprise,
to find the imperial German govern
ment contending that an effort on tn
part of merchantmen to escape car
ture and secure assistance, alters tn
obligation of the officer seeking t
make the capture in respect of tn
->-~-o-o~o~~~~~~o~~-~-0~~~o~