Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-04-20

OF the American note to Germany fol-
lows:
You are instructed TO deliver to the
secretary Of foreign affairs a communi.
cation reading as follows
Il did not fail TO transmit Immediately
by telegraph to my government your ex-
cellency's note Of the 10th instant in re-
gard to certain attacks by German sub
marines, and particularly IN regard TO
the disastrous explosion which on March
n last wrecked the French steamer Eus-
sex in the English channel. have now
the honor to deliver, under instructions
from my government. the following re.
ply to your exeeIency:
Information now In the possession Of
the government OF the United States
fully establishes the fact In the case of
the Sussex and the differences which my
government has drawn from that infor
nation, II regards ms confirmed by the
circumstances set forth In your excel
lency's note Of the 10th instant. On the
Path OF March. 1916. at about ESQ O'Clock
IN the afternoon. the unarmed steamer
Sussex. with 325 or more passengers on
board among whom were q number OF
American citizens, was torpedoed while
crossing from Folleston TO Dieppe The
Sussex had never been armed; was
vessel known to be habltualy used only
for the conveyance Of passengers across
the fnglish channel and was following
the route taken by troopshlps or supply
ships About eighty Of its passengers,
noneombatants Of all ages and sexes, In
clufxlg citizens OF the United States. were
killed or injured. A careful detailed and
l.I -.
naval and military officers Of the United
States has conclusivcly established the
fact that the Sussex was torpcdoed with
out warning or summons TO surrender
and that the torpedo by which II was
struck was Of German manufacture. In
the view Of the government OF the United
States these facts. from tho first, made
the conclusion that the torpedo was fired
by a German submarine unavoidable. II
now considers that conclusion substan-
tiated by the statements Of your excel.
lencys note full statement Of the
facts upon which the government Of the
United states has based its conclusion
Is incosod,
German Position Challenged.
1.-THE government OF the United States
after having given careful confederation
20 the note OF the imperial government
on April TO- regrets 10 state that the Inn
preston made upon II by the statements
and proposals contained In that note IL
that the imperial government has failed
TO appreciate the gravity OF The situation
which has resulted, not alone from the
attack on the Sussex, but from the whole
method and character Of submarine war
fare, as disclosed by the unrestrained
practice Of the commanders Of German
undersea craft during the last twelve
months and more in the indiscriminate
destruction Of merchant vessels of all
sorts. nationaities and destinations. II
the sinking Of the Sussex had been an
Isolated case the government Of the
United States might find II possible 10
hope that the officer who was RESPONSE
Bile for that act had wlllfuy violated
his orders and had been criminaIy neg
ligent In taking none Of the precautions
they prescribed, and that the ends OF JUS
tlce might be satisfied by imposing upon
him an adequate punishment, coupled
with formal disavowal Of tho act and
payment OF a suitable indemnity by the
imperial government. But, though the
attack upon the Sussex was manfestly
indcfenslble and caused loss Of life
20 tragical as TO make IL stand forth as
ono Of the most terrible examples OF the
inhumanty Of submarine warfare as the
commanders Of German vessels are con-
Quoting It, It unhappily does not stand
alone.
other Violations Of Law.
ION the contrary the government OF
the United States Is forced by recent
events to conclude that It Is only one
instance. though one OF the most extreme
and most distressing instances OF the
deliberate method and spirit OF indiscrlm-
mate destruction OF merchant vessels OF
all sorts, nationalIties and destinations
which have become more and more UNI
mlstakable as to the activity OF German
undersea vessels Of war has in recent
months been qulckened and extended
The imperial government will recall
then when. In February, 1915 ii an
nounced its intention OF treating the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
ireland as embraced within the seat of
war and OF destroying all merchant ships
owned by It's enemies that might be
found within that zone Of danger. and
warned all vesselsj neutral as well as bel
ligeIcnlt 10 keep out or tho waters thus
prescribed. or to enter them al their
perIl, the government Of the United
States earnestly protested II took the
position that such policy could not be
pursued without constant gross and pal
pablo violations of the accepted law Of
nations, particularly N submarine craft
were to be employed as its instruments.
inasmuch a. the rules prescribed by that
law. rules founded on the principles Of
humanity and established for the protec-
ton Of the lives of noneomhatants AZ
SCI, could not In the nature OF the case
ha observed by such veWts. u based ita
protest on the ground that persons Of
neutral nationality and vessels ~ neutral
ownership would be exposed 20 eNtreg,e
and intolcrahlc flaks aud that no RIGHT
70 close any part ~ the high seas could
lawfully ~ asserted by The imperial gov
ernment IN the circumstances thcn exist
ing. The law Of nations "a thess matters
upon which the United states based that
protest IA not ~ recent nfisin OF founded
upon merely arbitrary prineiplea SET Hp
hy convention II Is hassd, On the ean-
trstY unoa manifest principles ~ hu
mspItY and has Ions hssH established
wlih che appra4al and b' the fNpreaa ts
sgW af 40 ehIilaeb uatinns
fh8 hnpeHai government patsths
HEHhns rrHaist ~ carrying out he
ralgF announced espfesslnF me here