Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-05-31
eERMANv's REPLY TO WASH
INeToN.

The imperial German governments
preliminary reply to the American
note on the sinking Of the Lusitania.
the torpedoing of the Guliight. an
American ship. and the Falaba. on
which an American lost his life. has
been received by the Washington
government. II does not pass finally
on any OF the points raised or ques'
lions asked by Washington. Neither
does Il contain word OF new materisl'
its entire contents having been pub
lished in previous dispatches from
Berlin as the incidents under discus
sion occurred.
The imperial government regrets
keenly the loss OF American lives and
property and expresses a willingness
TO make suitable redress and pay a
suitable naturalization In all In
stances where II Is shown the I'm
perial government was at fault.
With regard to the Gulfight, the
claim OF mistaken identity Is made,
the submarine commander believing
the vessel to be an enemy ship.
As TO the Falaba. the claim Is made
that ample time was given for the
crew and passengers to leave the ship
before the torpedo was fired.
As to the sinking of the Lusitania.
the chief item In the diplomatic nego-
tiations under consideration. the i'm
perial government cannot persuade
itself that all the facts in connection
herewith are fully understood at
Washington and proceeds to enligh,.
en- the government OF the United
States as follows; rss~-
Regarding the loss OF life by the
sinking OF the British passenger
steamer Lusitania. the German gov
eminent has already expressed 10 the
neutral governments concerned its
keen regret that citizens OF their
States lost their lives.
ION this occasion the imperial gov
eminent, however. cannot escape the
impression that certain important
facts having decided bearing on the
sinking OF the Lusitania may have
escaped the attention OF the Ameri'
can government.
In the interest OF a clear and com.
ple,e understanding. which Is the aim
OF both governments. the imperial
government considers II first neces'
sary to convince itself that the In
formation accessible TO both govern
ments about the facts OF the case is
complete and In accord.
The government Of the United
States proceeds on the assumption
that the Lusitania could be regarded
as an ordinary disarmed mechant
man. The imperial government al
lows itself in this connection to point
out that the T.usitania was one Of tbs
largest and fastest British merchant
ships, built with government funds
as an auxiliary cruiser and carried
expressly as such in the navy list
issued by the British Admiralty.
1T Is known to the imperial govern
ment through trustworthy reports
from It's agents and neutral passen
gers that for a considerable tint
practically all the more valuable Brit
ish merchantmen have been equipped
with cannon and ammunition an'
other weapons and manned with per
sons who have been specially traine'
IN serving guns. The Lusitania, toe
according TO Information received
had cannon aboard were mounte'
and concealed below decks"
In addition. the claim Is made tina
the Lusitania carried troops and am
munition for the enemies OF German!
and therefore the imperial govern
ment was justified in sinking the shil
in order to protect the lives OF IL
own soldiers. regardless OF the live
OF Americans and other neutrals Of
board. In other words, Englan
sought TO safeguard the soldier re
cruits and ammunition on board b.
placing the lives OF neutrals betweei
the Lusitania and the submarines
and therefore England is wholly re
sponsible for the terrible tragedy o
the deep.
The principle OF international wal
fare which provides that the passen
gers and crew OF a vessel carryinl
coniraband must be removed TO
place OF safety before the ship is SUM
was not touched in the German note
The note, as a whole, is evaslve o
the questions at issue and lays III
predicate for a long drawn ont diplo