El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-20

ment, the following reply 10 your eA-
cellency:
Regards differences Confirmed.
information now in the possession
Of the government OF the United states
fully establishes the facts in the case
Of the Sussex. and the inference when
nv government has drawn from that
information it regards as confirmed by
the circumstances set forth IN your e1-
ccllencv's note Of the tenth instant
ION the cath OF March. 1916, at about
ESQ o'clock IN the afternoon, the un-
armed steamer Sussex, with 323 on
hoard. among them a number Of Ameri-
can citizens, was torpedoed while
crossing from Folkestone TO Dieppe
The Sussex had never been armed; was
n vessel known TO be habitually used
only for the conveyance OF passengers
across the English channel, and was
not following the route taken by troop
ships or supply ships. About so Of her
messengers, nOncomhatants. of all ages
and sexes. including citizens OF the
United states, were killed or injured
"A careful, detailed and ScrupulOusly
impartial investigation by naval and
military officers Of the United States
has cOnclusively established the TACT
that the Sussex was torpedoed without
warning or summons to surrender and
that the torpedo by which she was
struck was Of German manufacture.
I'm the view OF the government OF the
United States these facts from the first
made the conclusion that the torpedo
was fired by a German submarine un-
avoidable. II now considers that con-
clusiOn substantiated by the statements
of your excellency's note. A full state
ment OF the facts upon which the gov
eminent Of the United States has
based its conclusion is inclOsed.
Germany Doesn't Appreciate Gravity.
The government Of the United States,
after having given careful cOnsidera-
ton to the note OF the imperial gov
eminent Of April 10 regrets to state
that the impression made upon it by
statements and proposals contained in
that note is that the imperial govern
ment has failed to appreciate the Crav-
ity Of the situation which has resulted,
not alone from the attack on the Sus-
sex. but from the whole method and
character Of submarine warfare as dis
closed by the unrestrained practice OF
the commanders Of German undersea
craft during the past 2 months and
more in the indiscriminate destruction
Of merchant vessels Of all sorts
nationalities and destinations
Attack Does Not stand Alone.
II the sinking Of the Sussex had {
been an isolated case, the government /
OF the United States might find IL pos /
sible to hope that the officer who was |
responsible for that act had wilfully /
violated his orders or had been Grim /
iually negligent in taking none Of the !
precautions they prescribed. and that |
the ends Of Justice might be satisfied |
by imposing upon him an adequate /
punishment, coupled with a formal dis |
avowal Of the act and payment of a
suitable indemnity by the imperial
government But, though the attack
upon the Sussex was manifestly inde- !
feasible and caused loss OF life so /
tragic as 10 make IL stand forth as
one OF the most terrible examples OF !
the inhumanity Of submarine warfare |
as the commanders of German vessels |
are conducting it. it unhappily does no. |
stand alone
Destruction Deliberate.
'On the contrary the government Of the /
United States is forced by recent events /
10 conclude that il is only one instance,
even though one of the most extreme /
ana most distressing instances Of the 4
deliberate method and spirit of indis-
criminate destruction Of merchant yes
sells Of all sorts. natioualities and /
destinations which have become more
and more unmistakable as the activity I
Of German undersea vessels Of war has