Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-06-17
J. s. 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 BIuster Is Given In
Second Document Sent to German
Governn1e nt-WiIson Insists LusI-
tsnia 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
yocatiVe in its language than the note
Of May Is.
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
10 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 we're 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
tof 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:
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 on
the sinking of the Lusitania:
American Ambassador, Berlin.
You are instructed to deliver text
ualIy the following note to the min
lister of foreign affairs:
In compliance with your excel
lency's request did not fail to trans
NIT to my government Immediately
upon their receipt your notes of May
2S in reply to my note of May Is, and
your supplementary note of June 1,
setting forth the conclusions so far as
reached by the imperial German gov.
eminent concerning the attacks on
the American steamers Cushing and
Gulfiight. / 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 oil
the Cushing and the Gulfight, of the
principle of the freedom of all parts
of the open sea to neutral ships and
the frank willingness of the imperial
German government to acknowledge
and meet its liability where the fact Of
attack upon neutral ships which have
not been guilty of any hostile act BY
German aircraft or vessels of war is
satisfactorily established; and the
government of the United States will
in due course, lay before the imperia
German government as it requests
full information concerning attack OF
the steamer Gushing.
With regard to the sinking of the
steamer Fslaba, by which an Ameri
can citizen lost his life, the govern
ment OF the United States is surprised
to find the imperial German govern
ment contending that an effort on the
part of q merchantmen to escape cap
ture and secure assistance, alters the
obligation of the officer seeking t
make the capture in respect of tn,