Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1916-04-26
THE ULTIMATUM OF The UNITED
STATES TO THE GERMAN EMPEROR

Washington.-The complete text Of
the American governments note sent
by Secretary Of State Lansing to Am.
bassador Gerard at Berlin for delivery
to the German government follows:
You are instructed to deliver to the
secre,ary of foreign affairs a commu
nication reading as follows:
Facts About Sussex Attack.
Information now In the possession of
ne government OF the United states
'ully ESTABLISHES the facts in the case OF
the SUSSEX and the Information which my
government has drawn from that infor-
nation is regarded as confirmed by the
circumstances set forth In your excel
lency's note OF the tenth. on the twenty
fourth OF Marcn, 1916. at about ESQ
O'Clock in the afternoon the unarmed
steamer Sussex with S2j or more pas
songers on board among whom were n
number Of American citizens was tor
pedoed while crossing from Folkestonc To
Dieppe. The Sussex had never been
armed was a vessel known 10 be habitu-
ally used only for the conveyance of pas
sengors across the English channel and
was not followL.- the route taken by
troop ships or supply ships. About eighty
Of her passengers, non -combatants 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
conclusvely established the fact that the
Sussex was torpcdoed without warning
or summons 10 surrender and that the
torpedo by which she was struck was oi
German manufacture. In the view OF
the government OF the United states
clusion that the torpedo was fired by .
German submarine unavoidable. Il no"
considers that conclusion substantlated b>
the statements OF your escellency's note
A tuli statement OF the facts upon Whict
the government Of the United States ha,
besed It's conclusion Is lnclosed.
Germany Falls to Realize situation.
The government OF the United states
after having given consideration TO thu
! note OF the imperial government OF thu
tenth OF April. regrets to state that thu
/ impression made upon II by the state
ments and proposals contained In tina
/ note. is that the imperial government
! has failed TO appreciate the gravity o
| the situation which has resulted. no
alone from the attack on the Sussex bu
| from the whole method and character o
| submarine warfare as disclosed by tn
unrestrained practice Of the commander
1 of German undersea craft during tn
| past twelve months and more. In the in
! discriminate destruction OF merchan
/ vessels OF all sorts, nationalities ant
/ GeSt nations.
II the sinking OF the Sussex had bee,
! an isolated case the government OF tn
! United states might find II possible {
/ hope that the officer who was responsi
bic for that act had wilf,lly violated hi
orders or had been criminally negligen
| IN taking none OF the precautions the
prescribed and that the ends of justic
might he satisfied by imposing upon hir
an adequate punishment coupled with
formal dsavowsi Of the act and paymen
! OF a suitable indemnity by ths imperis
| government. But though the attack uno
the Sussex was manifestly indefenstbl
and caused a loss Of life so tragical a
| TO make II stand forth az one OF TN
| most terrible examples OF the irhumar
ity OF submarine warfare as the com
! manders OF German vessels are conduct
ing II. 1t unhappily does not stand alon'
IndIscriminate Attacks.
on the contrary the government OF tn
United States is forced by recent event
even though one of the most extreme an
most distressing instances OF the delibei
ate method and spirit of indiscriminat
destruction OF merchant vessels OF n
sorts, nstionalities and destinations whic
have become more and more unmislah
able as the activity OF German underse
vessels OF war has in recent months bee
Quickened and extended.
The imperial government will reca
that when In February. 1915. Il an
nounceu it's intention of treating the wa
tiers surrounding Great Britain and Ire
land as embraced within the seat OF wa
and OF destroying all merchant shiI
owned by, its enemies that miei, b
found within that zone of danger. al
warned all vessels, neutral as well O
belligerant to keep out OF the water
thus prescribed, or to enter them at the
peril the government OF the Unite
States earnestly protested. II took II
position that such a policy could not |
pursued without constant gross and pa
pable violations OF the accepted law
nations particlarly II submarine era
were TO be employed as its instrument
inasmuch as the rules prescribed by thi
law, rules founded on the principles
humanity and established for the prt
lection OF the lives OF -combatants
sea could not in the nature OF the cas-
be observed by such vessels. 1t base
its protest on the ground that persor
of neutral nations and vessels OF neutr
| ownership would be opposed to extreu
and intoerable risks: and that no rigi
to close any part OF the high seas cou
lawfully be asserted by the imperial gov
ernment in the circumstances then e
listing The law OF nations In these MAJ
ters upon which the government OF II
United States based that protest IL n,
OF recent origin or founded upon mere
arbitrary principles set up by conventio
II is based. on the contrary. upon man
fest principles OF humanity and has lor
been established with the approval ar
bv the express assent OF all civilized nj
tions.
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