Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-11
American Branch Will Re-
spond TO Appeal From Neither
lands to Offer Mediation
CONFERENCE IN U. S.
Many Believe Kaiser Made an
Indirect Plea For Peace
in U-Boat Reply
By Associated Press

dent Wilson be urged to promote a
conference of neutral nations to offer
mediation in the European war will
be called soon in this country. This
was announced to-day by Hamilton
Holt, chairman of the American
branch of the Central Organization for
Durable Peace. the recipient of the
appeal.
The communication was received by
Mr.. Holt yesterday and urged CO.
operation by American peace societies
in bringing about mediation. The
meeting will be held by American
members of the Central Organization
with view to cooperation with other
peace societies later.
Plea in Note
The appeal of the Dutch council,
according to Mr. Holt, indicates a be-
lief by many persons in the Neither
lands that Emperor William, through
GeTmany's reply to the American note
in the submarine controversy, made an
indirect bid for peace
No date has yet been set for the
meeting, but meanwhile Mr.. Holt will
submit copies of the appeal to various
peace organizations and to President
Wilson for his information" Mr.. Holt
said that no definite plan has been
outlined except that the purpose of
meeting would be to analyze the ap-
peal and set in motion whatever forces
IL lilS III nope 10 ulfetI toward peace.
Washington, May 4. - The text of
the German note admitting the attack
on the Sussex follows:
Supplementing his note of the
fourth instant, concerning the con-
duct of the German submarine war
fare, the undersigned has the honor
TO inform His EXcellency, the Ameri-
can Ambassador, James w Gerard,
that the further investigation made by
tIern11n
cerned, in regard to the French steam
ship Sussex. on the basis of the Amer
lean material has been concluded in
the meantime. In conformity with the
result of this investigation, the as
supmtion expressed in the note of the
undersigned of the tenth ultimo, that
the damage of the Sussex was to be
traced back to cause other than the
attack of a German submarine, can
not be maintained
Such an assumption had to be ar
rived at with certainty from the ma
terial in the possession of the German
Government, for itself and without
further knowledge of the circum-
stances connected with the torpedoing
of the Sussex the more so as apart
from the points enumerated in the
note of the tenth ultimo, the following
facts had come to the attention of the
Admiralty staff of the navy through
reliable information: March "a, 1915,
approximately AT the same time as
the Sussex, an auxiliary warship left
the port of Folkstone with a large
transport of British infantry on board;
on the same day transport steamer
was torpedoed i'm the channels a few
minutes preceding the explosion on
the Sussex, she had passed a mass of
ship wreckage, which created the I'M
preston that ship had sunk at that
spot shortly before. All these facts
justified the conclusion that the only
case of torpedoine which could be con-
sidered under the circumstances, had
struck the British war vessel. whereas
the Sussex had met with an accident in
some other way
Accepts Evidence of U. s.
However, on the basis of the Amer
lean material, the German government
cannot withhold its conviction that the
ship torpedoed by the German subma-
rine is in face Identical with the Sus-
sex, for, in accordance with this ma
terial. the place, the time and the eff
feet of the explosion by which the
Sussex was damaged agree in the es-
sential details with the statements of
the German commander, so that there
can no longer he any question of the
possibility of two Independent occur
rences An additional reason is consti-
American Navy found fragments of an
explosive in the hold of the Sussex
which are described by them upon
firm grounds as parts of a German
torpedo.
Finally, the counter evidence which
was deduced in the note of the tenth
ultimo from the difference in appear
ance of the vessel described by the sub
marine commander and the only re-
production of the Sussex then avail
able has proven to be untenable, mas
much as, according to a photograph of
the damaged Sussex now at hand the
characteristic distinctions no longer
existed at the time of the accident;
while the Sussex in the photograph of
my Daily Graphic inclosed in the note
only carried one mast and also show
ed the white gangway customary on
passenger vessels on the level with the
port holes .. w s., the reproduction
of the damaged Sussex shows a second
mast and a uniform dark color, and
thus approaches in her outer appear
ance the description of the vessel fur
nished by the submarine commander
Commander Punished
I'm view of the general impression
of all the facts at hand the German
government considered beyond doubt
that the commander of the submarine
acted in the bona fide belief that he
was racing an enemy .WarShip. On
the other hand, it cannot be denied
that, misled by the appearance of the
vessel, under the pressure of the cir
cumstances, he formed his judgment
too hurriedly in establishing her char
acter and did not therefore act fully
in accordance with the strict instruc-
tion which called upon him to eXer-
else particular care.
I'm view of these circumstances, the
German government frankly admits
that the assurance given to the Amer
lean government, in accordance with
which passenger vessels were not to
be attacked without warning. has not
been adhered to in the present case.
As was intimated by the undersigned
in the note of the fourth instant. the
German government did not hesitate
to draw from this resultant conse-
quenccs. 1t, therefore, expresses to
the American government its sincere
regret regarding the deplorable Incl
dent and declares it's readiness to pay
an adequate indemnity to the injured
American citizens. 1t also disapprov-
ed of the conduct of the commander,
who has been appropriately punished
Expressing the hope that the Amer
lean government will consider the case
of the Sussex as settled by these state
ments the undersigned avails himself
pf hig giOn n 70