The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-05

Submarine attacks without warning, |
tendangering Americans and other neu
Etrals, We're characterized as illegal |
and inhuman and manifestly indefen- |
sibIe"
The German retaliation against the |
British blockade. it maintained, must |
not interfere with the rights of neu- |
| trails, which the note declared were |
| based upon principles, not expediency. |
and the principles are immutable. 1t |
| declared that the United States would !
continue to contend for the freedom |
| of the seas from whatever quarter |
violated. without compromise and at |
any cost" The American note con- |
cluded with these words of warming:
| Gave Up Note Writing.
| Friendship. itself prompts it (the |
United States government) to say to |
the imperial government that repeti- |
| ton by the commanders of German |
naval vessels of acts in contraven- |
ton of those rights must be regarded |
by the government of the United |
Estates when they affect American citi- |
zens as deliberately unfriendly"
The American press and other neu-
trails pronounced the American note
not only a demand that the rights of
Americans be respected but defense
of humanity and neutral rights gem
orally. The negotiations at this point |
seemed to have come to such an i'm
passe that the exchanges of notes be-
| tween w dSnlnSlOn anu ocIlli wei
stopped and that controversy was
brought into the realm of informal
| conversations" between Secretary Lam
sing and County Won Bernstorff, the
German ambassador. 1t was thought
that much could be accomplished by
personal contact which was lost IN
cold exchange of documents
Arabic Intensified Situation.
Meanwhile the Arabic was sunk on
| August 10. Coming close on the un-
a
a continuation of submarine attacks IN
| which Americans had suffered, IL
seemed that the United states ana
| Germany had at last reached the point
| of a break. Then on September
came the first rift in the threatening
situation. Count Won Bernstorff pre-
| sented this written assurance to Sec
rotary Lansing:
| Liners will not be sunk by our sub
| marines without warning and without
ga fetv of noncombatants, provided the
| liners do not try to escape or of1er re-
sistance."
/ The United States had agreed all
along that ships hailed for visit ana
| search by war vessel took a risk If
i thew attempted to flee but it contend
! ed, not for the safety of liners" alone
| but for immunity for all peaceful mer-
chant vessels
/ in point in Germany's assurance and a
/ complete agreement on what 1t actual
| Iy meant never was finally reached
More hopefulness was added to the
| situation when on October o, the
II Arabic case was disposed of by Ger
1 many disavowing the sinking and CIV
i ing renewed assurances that sub
marine commanders had again been
instructed to avoid repetition of the
acts which provoked American con-
domination.
Deadlock on Lusitania Case.
With that the negotiations reverted
to the Lusitania case. Germany al
ready Lad agreed to pay indemnity Tor
Il American lives lost but the negotia-
II lions were delayed by a seeming dead
4 lock over the words in which Germany
i should acknowledge the illegahty of
the liners destruction. Germany, I'M
willing to use the word illegal, sub
stituted a declaration that 'reprlsals
must not be directed at others than
enemy subjects" A formal communi-
III cation including such a declaration
III and expressing regret. Tor loss OF
American lives, assuming liability ana
offering reparation in the form OF IN
demnity was submitted to Secretary
Lansing.
A favorable settlement of the long
threatening controversy seemed to be
in sight when all the progress that had
Il been made was reduced to nothing by
Il Germany's declaration of new sub
marine policy of sinking without
/ warning all armed merchant ships
! That precipitated a new situation SO
| vitality interviewer with the whole
structure of the Lusitania case that
| President Wilson declined to close the
4 Lusitania settlement while the other
| issue was pending. There the whole
| matter rested while German subma-
| rine warfare was continued ana new
1 ca ses involving loss of American lives
1 piled up.
Then Came Sussex Disaster.
Finally, the accumulation of evil
L dence reached such proportions with
| the destruction of the Sussex that
l President Wilson, convinced that as
surances given in the Lusitanla and
| Arabic cases were being violated, dis
4 patched another note to Germany and
] made this declaration before congress;
. 81 have deemed it my duty to say
!. to the imperial German government
that if it is still its purpose to prose-
4 cute relentless and indiscriminate
. warfare the government of the Unit
! ed States is at last forced to the con-
clusion that there is but one course
1 to pursue and that, unless the imperial
German government should now, i'm
j mediateIy declare and effect an aban-
donment of it's present method of war
/ fare against passenger and freight
/ carrying vessels. this government can
4 have no choice but to sever diplo-
4 matte relation altogether"
1t will be noted the president went
1 further than liners and said pas
/ senger and freight carrying vessels. -
The wording of the note to Germany
4 was almost identical with the forego-
! ing passage
Reviewing the relentless submarine
/ campaign the last note declared, mo
limit of any kind has in fact, been set
TO the indiscriminate pursuit and de-
B struction of merchantmen of all kinds
I and nationalities within the waters
constantly extending where these. OPP
1 erations have been carried on; and the
1 roll of Americans who have lost their
lives on ships thus attacked and de-
stroyed has grown month by month