The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-07-30
PRESIDENT REITERATES STAND
FIRST TAKEN ON LUSITANlA
DISASTER
REPERATION MUST BE MADE
Freedom of the High Seas Must Be
Maintained Without Compromise
and at Any Cost-Strongest
Pronouncement Yet

| text of the American note on subma
| rine warfare presented at Berlin to-
| day by Ambassador Gerard, was made
| public tonight. 1t reveals that the
| German government is informed that
| 1t is the intention of the United States
| to regard as deliberately unfriend-
| Iy" any repetition by commanders OF
German naval vessels of acts in con-
travention of. American rights. The
United States announces that it will
continue to contend for the freedom
of the seas from whatever quarter
violated without compromise and
at any cost"
Strongest Yet.
In official diplomatic quarters the
communication is received as the
most emphatic pronouncement to
come from the Washington govern
ment since the beginning of its cor
respondence with the belligerents of
Europe. The President returned to
Cornish tonight to await develop
mentS.
On the assumption that Germany
has already admitted the Illegally of
her practices by attempting to justify
them as against Great Britain, the
OulIcQ otdDCo CAPlCooCo tuO DOiiOi
that Germany can no longer refrain
from disavowing the wanton act of
it's naval commander in sinking the
Lusitania or from offering reparation
for the American lives lost, as far as
reparation can be made for needless
destruction of human life by illegal
acts" The text of the note follows:
The Note
=
dor Gerard: Department of State:
Washington, July 81, 1915: You are
instructed to deliver textually the
following note to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs:
The note of the imperial German
government, dated July 8, 1915, has
received the careful consideration of
the government of the United States,
and it regrets to be obliged to say it
has found it very unsatisfactory, be-
cause it fails to meet the real differ
ences between the two governments
and indicates mo- way in which the
accepted principles of law and hui
mainly may be applied in the grave
matter in controversy, but proposes, |
on the contrary, arrangements for a |
partial suspension of those principles |
which virtually set them aside.
Germany Recognizes Principles
The government of the United |
States notes with satisfaction that
the imperial German government rec
ognizes without reservation the va
lidity of the principles insisted upon
in the several communications which
this government had addressed to
he imperial German government
with regard to it's announcement of a
war zone and the use of submarines
against merchantmen on the high
seas, that the principle that the high
seas are free and that the character
VI the cargo of merchantmen must
irst be ascertained before she can
awfully be seized or destroyed. The
ives of non-combatants may in no
.ase be put in jeopardy unless the
ressel resists or seeks to escape aft
II being summoned to submit to ex-
for a belligerent act of
etaliation is per Sc an act beyond the
aw, and the defense of an act as re-
aliatory is an admission that it is IL
egal.
Regards Itself Exempt
The government of the United
tates, however, is keenly disappoint-
d to find that the German govern !
1ent regards itself as in a large de- !
rec exempt from the obligation to !.
bserve these principles, even where !
eutral vessels are concerned by :
that it believes the policy and prac-
ce of the government of Great Brit !
in to be in the present war in re-
ard to neutral commerce The Ger :
ian government must readily under
tand that the government of the
nited States cannot discuss the pol !.
" of the government Of Great Brit !,
in in regard to neutral trade except >
18th that government itself. 1t must
sgard the conduct of other belliger-
1t governments as irrelevant to any
scussion with the German govern
ent of what this government re- :
lrds as grave and unjustifiable vio- q
lions Of the rights of American cit n
ems by German naval commanders. a
legal, inhuman acts, however justi- r.
lble they may be thought to be a
,ainst an enemy who it is believed 81
Is acted in contravention OF law O
i'd humanity, are manifestly indie n
nsible when they deprive neutrals of u
cir acknowledged rights, particu-
rly when they violate the right to
e itself II belligerent cannot re-
late against its enemy without in ia
ring the lives of neutrals, as well as 81