The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-05-05

OF relating to the dispute over the ques-
tions OF armament and the alleged instruc-
tions Of the British admiralty to merchant
captains to attack submarines
In official circles it was admitted that
the now instructions to submarine com,
manders would have to be weighed and
considered very carefully before their ac-
ceptability to this government could be de
termined.
When the cabinet meeting broke up
Secretary Lansing met all inquiries with
this reply: u cannot discuss it at this
time at all
All other members of the cabinet
made similar statements. 1t was made
plain that President Wilson would de
eide upon the action to be taken after
studying the official text. While the
final decision of the attitude of the
American government waits on the of
fetal text some members of the cabinet
indicated that the German assurances
probably would be accepted and that
diplomatic relations would not be
broken unless the order to submarine
commanders was violated and American
lives endangered.
The note as received in the press de
/ spatches reviewed at length many OF
+ the events leading up to the present
situation, touching upon the sinking
OF the Sussex and other matters and
concluded as follows:
! The German government notifies the
government of the United States that the
/ German naval forces have received the
/ following orders; In accordance with the
general principles OF visit and search and
/ destruction of merchant vessels recognized
within and without the area declared a
naval war zone shall not be sunk without
warning and without saving human lives,
unless the ship attempts to escape or offer
resistance, but neutrals cannot expect that
Germans, forced to fight for existence
shall. for the sake of neutral interests, Ie
strict the use of an effective weapon il
the enemy is permitted to continue to ap
ply at viii methods of warfare violating
the rules OF international law.
Such demand would be incompatible
with the character of neutrality and the
German government is convinced that tn,
government of the United States does mo-
think OF making such demand, KNOWN.
that the government of the United State
repeatedly declares that it is determined
to restore the principle OF freedom of tn,
seas from whatever quarter it has beel
violated
Accordingly, the German government !
confident that in consequence of the ney
orders issued to the naval forces the gov
z ernment OF the United States will ais
now consider all impediments remove,
which may have been in the way of mutua
cooperation toward restoration of the free
S dom OF the seas during the war, as suggest
ed IN the note of July %, 1915, and it doe
not doubt that the government of tn
United States will now demand and il
= sist that the British government sha
s forthwith observe the rules of interns
l. tional law universally recognized befor
the war, as are laid down in the note Or,
= Sented by the government of the Unite
States to the British government Dee. .
1914, and Nov. s. 1915.
- should steps be taken by the govern
- ment of the United States not attain IL
object it desires, to have the laws of h
,r manity followed by all the belGgerent n
Of tions, the German government would the
t be facing a new situation in which it nu
Il reserve to itself complete liberty OF de,
nc sion.
" The undersigned avails himself of til
opportunity to renew to the American al
bassador assurances of highest consider
ton