Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-12-18

even if this presentation were correct
in all points and the most rigorous le-
gal conceptions were applied to the
judgment Of the case, it does not in
any way sufficiently warrant attach
ing blame to the commanding officer
of the war vessel or to the Imperial
and Royal government.
"The government of the United
States has also failed to designate the
persons upon whose testimony it relies
and to whom it apparently believes it
may attribute higher decree of cred
ibility than to the commander of the
Imperial and Royal fleet.
"The note also fails to give any in
formation whatsoever as to the num-
Der, names and more precise fate of the
American citizens who were on board
of the said steamer ut the critical mo-
ment.
'tHowever, in view of tne fact that
the Washington cabinet has now made
q positive statement to the effect that
citizens of the United States of Ameri-
ca came to grief in the incident in
question, the Imperial and Royal gov
ernment is in principle ready to enter
into an excnange of views in the affair
with the government of the United
States. 1t must, however, in the first
place, raise the question why tnat gov
ernment failed to give judicial reasons
for the demands set forth in its note
with reference to the special circum-
stances of the incriminating evidences
upon which it itself lays stress and
why, in lieu thereof, it referred to an
exchange Of correspondence which it
has conducted with another govern
ment in otaer cases. .0
"The Imperial and Royal govern
ment is less able to follow the Wasa-
ihgton cabinet on this unusual path,
since it by no means possesses authen-
tic knowledge of all Of the pertinent
correspondence Of the government Of
the United States, nor is it of the opin.
ion that such knowledge might be suf-
ficient for it in the present case, which
insofar as it is informed, is in essential
points of another nature tnan the case
or cases to which the government of
the United States seems TO allude. The
Imperial and Royal government may
therefore leave ii to the Washington
tAbi1leJ 10 lOIHlulhto bho pdltiCuhhi
points of law which the commanding
officer Of the submarine is alleged to-
have offended on the occasion Of the
sinking tne Ancona.
"The government Of the United
States has also seen fit to refer to the
attitude which the Berlin cabinet as
snmed in the above mentioned cores
p0ndence. The Imperial and Royal
government finds in the muca es-
teemed note no Indication whatever of
the intent with which the reference
was made. Should, however, the gov
ernment of the United States thereby
have intended TO express an opinion to
the effect that prejudice Of whatever
nature existed for the Imperial and
Royal government with respect to the
iuridical consideration of the affair in
question, this government must in or.
der to preclude possible misunderstand-
ings declare that as mntter of course
ID reserves 10 itself full freedom of
maintaining its own legal views in the
discussion of the case of the Ancona.
In having the honor to have recourse
to the kindness Of His Exeellency, the
ambassador of the United States OF
america with the most respectful re.
quest to be good enough to communi-
cate the foregoing TO the American
government on this occasion to state
that the Imperial and Royal govern
ment in no less degree than the Amer.
lean government and under all circum.
stances, most sincerely deplores the
fhtc Of the innocent victims of the in
sident in question, the undersigned at
tho same time avails himself Of this