Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-01
EDITORIAL COMMENT
ON GERMAN NOTE
her armed and ready to offer resist.
CONTINUED From Page -

her armed and ready to offer resist.
ance.
London. May 31.-Commenting on
the German reply to the American
note concerning the Lusitania incident
the Manchester Guardian says:
I'VE do not know how long the war
will last, but 1t Is clear, If Germany
has her way, that its end will find the
negotiations with the United States
over the submarine blockade" still
dragging out their interminable length.
The German note does not even
reply directly to the American request
that such actions as the sinking of the
Lusitania should be disavowed and
that they should be discontinued. The
note has the effrontery to add that the
passengers probably would have been
saved had 1t not been for the explosion
of ammunition which, 1t Is alleged, was
carried by the Lusitania, as though
the submarine had torpedoed the ship
without intending actually to sink her.
Almost as offensive Is the sugges-
ton that before the submarine can be
condemned for not having given the
crew and passengers time to escape,
1t must be shown that the Lusitania
was duly equipped with life saving
apparatus as ordered by the Titanic
conference.
I'm word, the United States Is Of
fered the prospect Of prolonged con-
troyersy over points of detail but no
disavowal of what has been done; no
acceptance of the principles OF naval
warfare which she assumed Germany
would be anxious to uphold, and not a
word as to any change of mind or
policy. The submarine war Is to be
pursued as before, and American ships
and citizens may take the risk"
Louisville CONFECTIONERY: The Ger
man answer to the American note Is
q bubble. The time is at hand when
the president must meet the demands
Of his countrymen that nothing must
happen to trail our majesty before any
other majesty. and that the United
States shall lay down to belligerents
certain rights and laws OF neutrality
which they shall be required to obey,
If need be, by all the force we are able
to put in the field Less than this the
country will not support.
Louisville Times: Either Germany
must make such amends as are pos
sible or the United States must take
such action as will compel respect for
the lives of it's citizens.
Milwaukee Sentinel: Germany's an
swer to the American note Is evident.
ly preliminary affair, a record for
further parley and based on the as
sumption that final answer must
await full and mutual ascertainment OF
all of the facts on which the American
note is based. : 1t is meant to
open the way for further discussion
while scrupulously avoiding the ap.
pearance of shutting the door to the
hope of arrangement that will make
for rights and safety of neutrals.
while preserving Germany's right to
avail herself fully of the means at her
disposition to combat Britain's over
whelming preponderance Of sea power.
1t would be preposterous to expect
Germany to discontinue positively her
use Of submarines against the COM
merce of the enemy.
Milwaukee Journal: We have trust
ed to the president the handling of this
grave international business. Standing
behind him today is the whole body of
the American people, who will support
him in whatever course he takes.