The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-07-22

Wonder About Text.
Official Washington speculated tn.
day as to whether the phrase "un.
friendly act" or the word "unfriendly'
actually appeared in the text of the
note sent to Berlin last night. The
general belief appeared to be that the
word "unfriendly" was used but In a
cautious way. and that the phrase "un.
friendly act" did not really appear In
the text.
1t is generally thought that while
firmly and unequivocably setting forth
TO the German foreign office that
Germany should admit its responsible.
lty Tor the loss Of American lives
aboard the Lusitania, and that the
United States consistently will main.
tain the right of its citizens to travel
anywhere on resisting ships of any ma.
tionality, no threat of punishment to
Germany for the delay Of satisfaction
IA made. sz,sssss..7 - :
T Sots. { Faa;sissds 1 1t MIGHT. -..'
Secretary of State Lansing said
that he signed tn note at the White
Rouse last evening following his con-
ference with President Wilson and
that it was delivered to the telegraph
office at the state department at z
o'clock. The Berlin government was
notified that the text OF the note would
be made public in America on Satur.
day morning.
The fact that the note had been dis
patched was kept a close secret In
the department until 10 O'Clock today.
Secretary Lansing declined to dis
cuss any feature of the contents of
the note prior to its publication on
Saturday. He said there was no spec.
lal development in the preparation of
the note to Great Britain detailing
the grievances of this country result.
ing from the enforcement of the Brit.
lsh blockade against Germany. He
nad no information as to when the
British note would be sent.
Spurn German Issue.
While the note does not SO assert in
blunt language, it carries the broad
lntimation that the United States
thinks 1t useless to engage in an 'ex-
tended diplomatic argument, and that
there Is no necessity for additional
proposals and counter-proposals on
the matter. The side issues raised by
Germany in it's last reply are not held
to be relevant to the great point at
issue. that is, the right of Americans
to use the seas with safety.
The effect of the note, therefore. is
to discourage further quibbling
through diplomatic channels and to
say to Germany, in substance: I'VE
have stated our position. If you vio-
late these principles you will be un-
friendly, regardless of your assur-
ances"
Germany Responsible.
The American reply thus puts re-
sponslbility squarely up to the Ger
man government. By her acts Germany
is to be judged. If Germany needing
this final warning. should cease her
| submarine warfare, where it imper-
ills American lives, there will be no
diplomatic breach between. the two
governments. If there should be an
other Lusitania case. even high Off
cials here will not predict at this
stage what the outcome would be-
It is designed to be the last word OF
the United States on the Lusitania
disaster and the sort of submarine
warfare which resulted in that disas-
ter. Germany's counter suggestion of
. marking" ships upon which Ameri-
I cans travel hereafter is understood to
have been rejected, the United States
failing to see that il is called upon to
make such bargain to safeguard its
citizens.
| Germany's plea that her submarine
warfare is in retaliation of the British
blockade and the kaiser's suggestion
that this government ought to per-
suade Great Britain to lift the block
sue.