Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-05-25
SINKING Of LUS|TAN|A
BRINGS j. S. PROTEST
Note Sent to Imperial German Government Firm
Against Submarine War--Demands Safety
of American Ocean Travellers.

Washington May 1.-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:
1.-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 tOrpedCeing and
sinking of the British steamship
Lusitania on May Z, 1915, by which
over 100 American citizens lost their
hives, it is clearly wise and desirable
that the government of the United
States and the imperial German gov
.ernment should come to a 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 2S on the American vessel
Gushing by a German aeroplane; the
torpedOeing on May l of the Ameri-
can vessel Gulflight by a German
submarine, as the result of which two
or more American citizens met their
death, and finally the torpedoeing
and sinking of the steamship Lusi-
tania, constitute 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-
lightened attitude hitherto assumed
by the imperial German government
in matters of international right, and
particularly with regard to the free
dom of the seas; having learned to
recognize the German views and the
German influence in the field of in
teTnational obligation as always en-
gagged upon the side of justice and
humanity, and having understood the
instructions of the imperial German
government to its naval commanders
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
TO address the imperial German gov
eminent concerning them with the
utmost frankness and in the earnest
hope that it is not mistaken in ex-
pecting action on the part of the i'm
perial German government which
will correct the unfortunate impress
siOns which have been created and
vindicate once more the position of
that government with regard to the
sacred freedom of the seas.
The government of the United
States has been apprised that the i'm
perial German government consider
I'D themselves to be Obliged by the
extraordinary circumstances of the
present war and the measures adopt
ed by their adversaries in seeking to
cut Germany off from all commerce,
to adopt methods of retaliation which
go much beyond the ordinary meth
DDS of warfare at sea, in the proclaim
alton of war zone, from which they
have warned neutral ships to keep
away.
Strikes at War Zone.
This government has already
taken occasion to inform the imperial
German government that it cannot
admit the adoption of such measures
or such a 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
nationalities; and that 1t must hold
the imperial German government
TO strict accountability for any in
fringement of those rights, intention
al or unintentional.
1T does not understand the i'm
perial German government to ques-
ton those rights. 1t assumes, on the
contrary. that the imperial German
government accepts. as of course, the
rule that the lives of non-combatants,
whether they be of neutral citizen
ship or citizens of one of the nations
at war cannot lawfully or rightfully
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