The Ely miner., 1915-06-04
WILSON'S CABINET REGARDS GER
MAN REPLY TO AMERICAN
NOTE AS uNRESPoNSiVE
AND UNSATISFACTORY
DISREGARDS GOOD WILL
OF U. S.; DOUBTS ITS FACTS
Teuton Note Disclaims All Blame for
Sinking of Lusitania, Say OFF,
cials-President to Ask for
Clear decentralization
May Be Severed.

Washington, June 3.-President
Wilson has determined that the Unit
ed States must ascertain definitely
and very promptly from Germany
whether the imperial government IN
tends in the future to be guided by
the accepted principles of information
al law and the rights Of neutrals, or
to follow its own rules OF maritime
warfare.
The President listened to a varied
expression of opinion at a meeting OF
his cabinet. taking little part in the
discussion himself. Later, he began
the preparation of note to be dis
patched before the end of this week
ombodying his own ideas and what
seemed to him the consensus Of his
official family.
German Reply Unsatisfactory.
The verdict of majority OF the cab
met was that the German reply to the
American note following the sinking
of the Lusitania was unresponsive and
unsatisfactory; disregarded the good
will of the United States, doubted its
facts and disclaimed all blame for the
destruction of the merchantmen with
American lives. The questions Of fact
raised by Germany were regarded as
irrelevant at this time.
The trend of opinion was that the
United States must inquire and obtain
an early answer as to whether Ger
mary intends to recognize the hither-
to accepted principle that neutrals
may travel anywhere on the high seas
as unarmed merchant ships, even if
carrying contraband, and that mer-
chantmen which do not resist capture
must be visited and searched and the
passengers and crew transferred to a
place of safety before the vessel is
destroyed.
Next Step Considered.
An unfavorable answer to this In
quiry would lead, 1t was predicted in
official quarters. to severance of dip
lomatic relations on the ground that
the United States could not continue
intercourse with government which
repudiated these principles.
Should Germany accept the principle
a
antee for the future, the American gov
ernrlent would reiterate it's demand
for "strict accountability" for viola
tions of this principle and killing of
Americans in the torpedoing without
warning, of the Lusitania. The deci-
sion to base the American note on the
principles of international law, to OBJ
tain an affirmative or negative reply,
and not enter into technical discus
sian of details, raised in the German
communication, which avoided the
main issues, was the single develop
ment of the cabinet council.
Germany Disregards Warning?
Some of the cabinet members ia.
vored even excluding any reference to
the facts asked for by Germany, set.
Ting first the point as to whether Ger.
many intended to disregard the Ameri.
can warning of last February that IT
would insist on the exercise of the
right of visit and search with respect
to vessels on which Americans were
travelling.
One cabinet officer believed the
American government should enter an
investigation of the points raised by
the German answer, submitting its
proof and giving the German govern
ment an opportunity to do likewise
Others, however. declared that such a
process would only mean delay, and
in the event Of deadlock on facts
would leave the United States, which
had already assured itself of the au.
thenticity of its information and
whose good faith was at stake, with
out remedy for the present and a
guarantee for the future, attacks on
American vessels having been com.
mitted, notwithstanding assurance to
the contrary.
Lusitania Was Unarmed.
The opinion was general that the
United States would restate during the
course. of it's note that the Lusitania
was unarmed and would ignore such
questions as to whether the carriage
of ammunition is in violation of Amer
ican law.
Count Won Bernstorff, the German
ambassador. will call on President
Wilson. The ambassador requested
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