Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-06
Trouble Not Much Nearer
Solution Than 1t Was
Just a Year Ago
GERMAN PROMISES
NOT SATISFACTORY
U. S. Contending for Rights
of All Neutrals While
Raising Protests


many's diplomatic correspondence with
the United States on the submarine
issue has extended over nearly year.
All along President Wilson has spok-
en- primarily for the inviolable rights
Of Americans and generally for the
rights of neutrals
Submarine warfare did not actually
enter the realm of diplomacy until
the destruction of the Lusitania. The
accumulation of cases affecting Ameri-
cans was taken up In the first note to
Germany which was dispatched May
15, 1915. It characterized the attacks
on the Falaba, Gushing, Gulflight and
Lusitanla as "series Of events which
the United States has observed with
growing concern, distress and amaze
ment."
The note closed with these words: !:
"The imperial German government
will not expect the government of tho
United States to omit any word or
act necessary to the performance of
it's sacred duty Of maintaining the
rights of the United States and its
citizens and OF safeguarding their free
exercise and enjoyment
Reply Unsatisfactory.
May 2s, 1915, Germany replied with
a note which was in every respect un-
satisfactory. The note met none Of
the contentious of the United States
so far as the Lusitania and Falaba
sinhngs were concerned, although a
supplementary note later did acknowl-
edge that Germany was wrong in the
attacks on the Gushing and the Gull
flight, expressed regret for those two
cases and promised to pay damages.
While the American reply to the
note was being framed, dissension in
the cabinet resulted in the resigna-
ton Of Secretary Bryan. He resigned
because he thought he could not sign
the next note to Germany, which he
feared would lead the United States
into war.
Secretary Lansing took Office as Mr..
Bryan's successor and his reply to the
German note took issue with every
contention Germany had set up in the
Falaba and Lusltania cases, denied
fatly the contention that the Lusi-
tania was armed or was to be treated
as other than a peaceful merchant
ship and reminded Germany that 1t
was the duty Of the United States ito
speak with solemn emphasis, to call
the attention Of the imperial German
government to the grave responsibility
which the government of the United
States conceives that it has concurred
in this tragic occurrence and to the
indisputable principle upon which that
responsibility rests" The note aver
red that the declaration of subma-
rine war zone could not abbreviate
the rights Of Americans on lawful
journeys.
Appeal to People.
To that note Germany did not reply
until July and the German rejoinder
was preponderately characterized by
American newspapers, not as a note,
but as an address by Foreign Minister
Won Jagow to the American people. In
official circles it was said to come no
nearer to meeting the American con-
tentions than did the former German
note.
The nature of the reply was regard
ed officially as convincing evidence
that Germany was holding the nego-
tiations as a club over the United
States to force this government into
some action to compel Great Britain
to relax the food blockade.
President Wilson steadfastly refus-
ed to permit the diplomatic negotia-
tions of the United States with one
belligerent to become entangled with
the relations with another.
To that the United States replied
on July 21 that the German note failed
to meet "the real differences between
the two governments" The United
States, 1t declared, was ''keenly dis
with Germany's attitude.
Submarine attacks without warning
endangering Americans and other neu-
trails were characterized as Illegal
and inhuman" and "manifestly inde-
fensible." 1t declared that the United
States would continue to contend for
the freedom Of the seas from what
ever quarter violated, without COM
promise and at any COSTS 4
Continued on page 81