The Dermott news., 1915-06-17
Department of State

Department of state
 Washington D. C.. June 9. 1915 American Ambassador, Berlin,
 You are instructed to deliver tex tually the following note to the minis ter of foreign affairs:
 In compliance with vopr excellen- cys request. did not fail to transmit to my government immediately upon their receipt your note of May 2S in reply to my note of May < and your supplementary note of June l. set ting forth the conclusions so far as reached by the imperial German gov ernment concerning the atacks on the American steamers Cushing and Gaif. light I am now instructed by my government to communicates the iol- lowing in reply
 Freedom on Open Sea.
 Tho government of tho United States notes with qualification the full recognition by tho imperial German government. in discussing the cases of the Cushing and the GulHight. of the principle of the freedom of all parts of the open eoa to neutral ships and the frank willingness of the German government to acknowledge and meet it's liability where the fact of attack upon neutral ships which have not been guilty of any hostile net by Ger man aircraft or vessels of war Is sat isfactorily established ant the Gof- ernment of the United States will ia due course law before tho imperial German government as 1t requests. full information concerning tho at tack on tho .teamer Cushing
 Humanity Always Uppcrmost.
 They have been in the minds ot statesmen and of international iurists. throughout tho development of naval warfare and the government of tho United States does not understand they have ever been held 10 alter the principles ot humanity upon which 1t has insisted Nothing hut actual tor cth1e resistance or continued efforts to escape hv flight when ordered to stop for tho purpose of visit on tho part of the merchantmen has ever heen held to forfeit tho lives Of her passen. gers or crew The government of tae United States. however noes not un- derstand that the imperial German government Is seeking in this case to relieve itself of liability. but only in tends to set forth the circumstances which led tho commander of the sub marine to allow himself to be hur- ried into the course which he took
 Lusttania's Status Restated,
 Your excollcneyss note in dtscuss- ing the loss of American lives result ing from tho sinking of the steamship I.usitania, adverts at some length 10 certain information which rhe imperial German government has received with regard to the character and outfit of that vesSal and vonr eNecllenCv eN- presses the Ynar that fhtS information may not have been bropEht tN the attention of tho government ot the United States T. k stated in the note that the Iusitauia vas undoubtedly equipped Vith masked guns. supplied with trained cunners and special a0- munIton. trnusportius troops from Canada. carrying careo not per mitted under tho .Ia"s ef the United States to vessel also carrying pls- sencers. and serving in virtual e0',t a4 an auxiliary 'o thu naval forces of Great Britain Fortunately these are matters concerning which the govern ment of the United States k in posi- ton to give the imperial German gov erument official information Of tho facts alleged in your eNcellenCyS note if true. tho government would have been bound 10 take official cosnizance fin performing it's recognized duty as q neutral power and in enforcing its ua. tlonal laws
 United States Reformed Duties.
 It was it's duty to sec "a tt that the I.usitania was not armed for offensive action. that she WIS not serving as q transport and that she did uat carry a cargo prohibited by the statutes of tho United States and that. II in fact sho was a naval vessel of Great Britain she should not receive clearance as \ morchantman. and it performed 'ha, duty and enforced its statutes with scrupulous vigilance through it's rag. ular}y constituted oficial4. It is able. therefore to assure the imperial Ger man government that 1t has been ms informed If the imperial German gov. ernment should deem itself in posses sion of convincing evidence that the officials of the government of the United States did not perform these duties with thoroughness the gov ernment of the United States sincere- iy hopes that it will submit the evi- dence for consideration
 Whatever may be the contentious of tho imperial German government regarding the carriage of contraband of war on board tho Lusitania or re- garding the expiosion of that material ->-~>-----~ ~>---~-~>------->--~"---~-