The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-06-11
craft were fastening to the assistance
of the Falaba.
Reorets LusItania Incident.

Regarding loss OF life by the Sink
ing of the British passenger steamer
Lusitania, the German government
has already expressed to the neutral
governments concerned its keen re"
gret that citizens Of their states lost
their lives.
"On this occasion the imperial gov
eminent, however, can not escape the
impression that certain important
facts having decided bearing on the
sinking of the Lusitania may have es'
caped the attention of the American
government,
"In the interest of a clear and com
plete understanding, which is the aim
of both governments, the imperial
government considers it first neces'
sary to convince itself that the infor'
nation 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 unarmed merchant
man. The imperial government allows
itself in this connection to point out
that the Lusitania was one of the
largest and fastest British merchant
ships, built with government funds as
an auxiliary cruiser and carried ex.
pressly as such in the navy list issued
by the British admiralty.
Cannon Aboard Lustania.
ut is known to the imperial gov
eminent through trustworthy reports
from it's agents and neutral passen-
gers that for a considerable time prac-
tically all the more valuable British
merchantmen have been equipped
with cannon and ammunition and
other weapons and manned with per-
sons who have been specially trained
in serving guns. The Lusitania, too,
according to information received,
had cannon aboard which were mount
ed and concealed below decks.
1.-THE imperial government further
has the honor to direct the particular
attention of the American govern
ment to the fact that the British ad'
miralty, In confidential instruction
issued in February, 1915, recommend
ed its mercantile shipping not only to
seek protection under neutral flags
and distinguishing marks, but also
while thus disguised to attack Ger
man submarines by ramming.
"As a special incitation to mer'
chantmen to destroy submarines the
British government also offered high
prizes and has already paid such re-
wards.
"The imperial government, in view
: of these facts Individually known to it,
!. is unable to regard British merchant.
men in the zone of naval operations
: specified by the admiralty staff OF
e the German navy as 'undefended.
b German commanders consequently are
n no longer able to observe the custo'
mary regulations Of the prize law
+ which they before always followed.
e Finally the imperial government
e must point out particularly that the
S Lusitania on its last trip, as on earlier
/ occasions carried Canadian troops
and war material, including no less
e than 5,400 cases of ammunition in
+ tended for the destruction Of the brave
/ German soldiers who are fulfilling
n their duty with self-sacrifices and de
) yotion in the fatherlands service.
}, Justified Self-Defense."
0 1.-THE imperial German government
s. believes that it was acting in justified
s self-defense in seeking with all thu
u means of warfare at it's disposition tt
Il protect the lives of its soldiers by de
stroying ammunition intended for thu
enemy,
IS Final Answer Is Withheld.
n 1.-THE imperial government, while
IS Withholding its final decision on thu
y demands advanced in connection will
IS the sinking Of the Lusitania until re
t. ceipt of an answer from the American
o. government, feels impelled, in con
lie clusion, to recall here and now tina
s. it took cognizance with satisfaction
II of the mediatory proposals submitte
~ by the United States government t
p, Berlin and London as basis for
" modus ViYendi for conducting tn
as maritime warfare between German
tie and Great Britain. The imperta
IS government by its readiness to ente
upon discussion of these proposal
10 then determined its good intentions i
10 ample fashion. The realization G
III these proposals was defeated, as
of well known, by the declinatory att
ID tude of the British government.
IN "The undersigned takes occasion
~ etc. "Jagow."