Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1915-07-28
ISSUE SQUARELY
bEFOREGERMANY
NEW AMERICAN NOTE PLACES
FUTURE RESPONSIBILITY ON
rEUToNic NATION.
CERTAIN ACTS ARE "UNFRIEnDlY"
And " Germany Persists In Doing
Them, Diplomatic Severance
May Be Expected As
Result.

ashington.-President Wilson ano
Secretary Lansing, comforting at the
White House completed the new note
TO Germany warning her that the repe.
tition OF disaster such as that visited
upon the Lusitania or any violation OF
American rights on the high seas re.
sulting In loss of American lives will
bs regarded as "unfriendly." 1t was
at once dispatched.
The note Is in the nature of final
statement by the United States of the
Interpretation that will be placed by
this government on future transgres.
sions of American rights and repeats
that the American government will
leave nothing undone to stand by the
position II has previously declared.
Among the points in the note are:
First-The assumption by the United
States that Germany by declaring her
submarine warfare to be retalatory
measure against the alleged unlawful
acts OF her enemies has admitted that
the destruction Of the unresisting mer.
chairman without warning is illegal
Second-German submarine com.
manders already have proved that they
can save passengers and crews of yes.
sells and can act in conformity with
the laws Of humanity in making war
on enemy ships.
Future Violations Unfriendly.
Third-The United States cannot al.
low the relations between the bellig.
erents to operate in any way as an
abbreviation of the rights of neu.
trails and therefore any violation of
the principles for which the American
government contends, resulting in
loss OF American lives, will be viewed
as "unfriendly'
Fourth-The representations which
the American government has made
in previous notes for the disavowal OF
the intention to sink the Lusitania
with Americans aboard and the re-
quest for reparation and reiterated
with renewed insistence.
Fifth-The American government
realizes the unusual and abnormal
conditions which the present conflict
has created in the conduct OF mari.
time war and is willing to act as an
Intermediary as between the belliger
ents to arrange a modus vivendi.
Sixth-The proposals by Germany to
give immunity to American ships not
carrying contraband and to four bellig.
erent ships under the American flag
are rejected with the emphatic asser
tion that to accept such suggestion
would be to admit Germany's right to
set aside the American contention
based on fundamental principles In
International law-that neutrals may
travel anywhere on the high seas on
unresisting ships OF any nationality
even II carrying contrsband.
No Direct lntimation.
1'he note Is about 1,20O words long.
While nowhere in 1t Ia there any di.
rect intimation Of the course which
the United States will pursue in the
event OF another disaster similar to
the Lusitania tragedy. there are EN-
phatic statements throughout the com.
munication pointing out that the dis
cussion Of the principles involved has
been virtually concluded and that fu-
ture conduct OF German submarine
commanders will determine the re-
sponsibiity for the friendly relations
between the two countries.