The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-06-02
BERLIN NOTE IS
UNACCEPTABLE
Silent on Wilson's Most Vita
Demands.
ACTION OF U. S. UNCERTAIN
No Determination Has Been Reached
by Government as to Policy 1t Will
Pursue-Depends on Public senti-
ment.

msnt.
Washington, May 31.-From unoffi-
cial sources the full text of Germany's
reply to President Wilson's note has
been received here and was even more
disappointing to administration Off
cials than the summary of its con-
tents indicated.
AS matter of fact the only specific
concessions that the United States
obtains from Germany from this note
is an expression of regret in regard
to the loss of life of Americans on the
Lusitania and promise to compen-
safe for non-contraband carrying ves-
sells which have been sunk through
Germanys fault. Neither of these
concessions is new. Both were con-
tanned in previous notes to the state
department.
Frankly, the Germant note is un-
acceptable to this government, but no
determination has been reached as to
the course of action that viii be pur-'
sued by the United States. This will
depend chiefly upon the expressions
of public sentiment in this, country
within the next few days.
The text of Germanys note dis
closes that she conceded even less to
the United States than was supposed
from the submarines that had been
wired from Berlin. On the most vital
point in President Wilson's note
his demand for prompt action to pre-
vent a recurrence of the Lusitania
outrage-the German note not only is
silent, but contains a statement which
is interpreted as a reiteration of the
imperial governments determination
to pursue her submarine operations.
"It (the imperial government), says
the note, "is unable to consider Brit
ish merchant vessels any longer sun-
defended territory in the war zone in
time of war designated by the admir-
atty and staff of the imperial navy.
German commanders consequently
are no longer in the position to OBJ
serve the rules of right of capture
otherwise usual and with which they
invariably complied before this" Z
The only way in which this fiat
statement of Germany's position is
qualified is in sentence in which the
foreign Office says that it reserve
final statement of its position with
regard with the demands made in con-
nection with the sinking of the Lusi-
tania, until reply is received from
the American government.
1t is assumed here that Germany
would not have made these fiat re-
iterations of her policy in the face of
President Wilson's demands unless
she intended to stand by them to the
end.
These statements are regarded as
the most important in the note al
fecting as they do the vital principles
underlying the case of the United
States.
An examination of the text of the
note shows also that Germany does
not go as far in satisfying the United
States as regards the Gulflight and
Cushing as was represented in the
Berlin summary. Germany does not
acknowledge that the attacks on
these two American vessels were ''un-
intentional" She does not even ex-
press regret for these attacks She
merely says that an investigation is
in progress to determine the facts in
these cases and if Germany is at
fault, she will offer her regrets and
compensation in accordance with
promises already made to neutral ma
tions in regard to neutral vessels.
This is taken to mean that Germany,
If she finds, as reports Indicate, that
the Gu1fiight and Cushing were carry
ing contraband of war will regard the
attacks as justified, so far as her sub
marine program is concerned.
Although no reference is made to
arbitration, the context of the note
shows that. Germany stands commit
ted to her previous offer to submit to
The Hague for investigation. cases OF
non-contraband carrying vessels of
neutral nations where Germany is not
satisfied of her own responsibility.
This offer of arbitration in no way
affects the Lusitania and Nebraskan
cases.