Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-05-10
VIII DisavOw Act, Punish
Commander and Make
ReparatiOn
TORPEDOING OF CYNIRIC
BEING INVESTIGATED
Ii Was Entitled to Immunity,
But Can Probably Be
Explained
By Robert J. Bender.

Omitted Press staff correspondent
Washington, May 1O.-Germany to-
day made good on its first promise in
the kaiser's note accepting Americas
submarine position Ambassador Gerard
cabled that the government had form
ally admitted the torpedoing of the
channel packet sussex by a German
submarine, but his communication to
the state department did not say wheth-
er the TeutOn message contained any
thing but acceptance of responsibility.
1t was learned that if the present mes
sage does not give assurance Of repara-
tion for victims and ample punishment
for the offending subl..aune ccumqnd-
er, another communication containing
such assurances will b. sent to SeCTe-
tary Lansing.
Full disavowal for the Sussex attack,
ample reparation for the victims and
satisfactory punishment to THO subma-
rine commander win be given, the Ger
man embassy. stated wnen II leaned
that the Berlin government had admit
ted guilt The pledge in the last Ger
man note made it self evident that
there would be no hesitating in dis
avOwing sueh an act.
No official could forecast the punish
ment to be imposed upon the command
er 1t was pointed out that mainten-
ance of discipline in the German navy
for violation of instructions was inn
portant. The matter Of giving indemn-
ity win await the filing of American
claims
The note said that the submarine
commander had already been punished.
The nature of the penalty was not made
public.
In part the note saiE
"The further investigation made by
German naval authorities on the basis
of American material has been eOnelud-
ed. The assumption expressed in the
note of the 10th ultimo that damage to
the Sussex was traceabIe TO causes
other than attack by German subma-
rine cannot be maintained"
"On the basis of American material
Germany cannot withhold its convietiAr
that the ship torpedoed by a German
submarine is in fact Identical with the
Sussex hold described by them upon
''There can no longer be any question
of the possibility Of two independent
similar occurrences Additional reason
for this belief is constituted by the
fact that officers of the American navy
found fragments of an explosive in the
SUSSEX hold described by them upon
firm grounds as parts Of q German tor
pedo."
nCounter evidence deducted in the
nrevious note from the difference in the
appearance Of the vessel which the sub
marine commander described and the
only reproduction Of the Sussex then
available has proven untenable. In view
of the general impression Of all the
facts at hand the German government
considers beyond a doubt that tho ccm-
mander acted in bona fide belief that ne
was facing an enemy warship. On the
other hand. il is undeniable that, mislfd
by the appearance of the vessel under
the pressure Of circumstances, he FORM
ed his Judgment too hurriedlv and
therefore did not act fully in accord
anee with the strict instructions which
called upon him to exercise particular
care.
f'In view Of the circumstances "br-
many frankly admits that the assur-
ances given America in accOrdanca with
which passenger vessels Tere not 70 be
attacked without warning was not ad-
hered to in the present case. Therefore,
Germany expresses its sincere regret re-
parding the deplorable incident and de-
clares its readiness to pay adequate IN
demnity to injured Americans, II also
disapproves Of the conduct Of its sub