Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1915 — PRESIDENT’S NOTE GIVEN TO BERLIN BYAMERICAN ENVOY [ARTICLE]

PRESIDENT’S NOTE GIVEN TO BERLIN BYAMERICAN ENVOY

Wilson Demands Germany Discontinue Sinking of Liners. CRISIS BETWEEN COUNTRIES United States Will Hold German Government to Strict Accountability—ls Ready to Protect Its Citizens From Harm While on the High Seas. Washington, May 14.—President Wilson’s note to Germany, forwarded by Secretary Bryan, has brought the Unltjd States to a crisis with Germany in the opinion of some of tho best authorities on international law in Washington. The president after stating that the United States government “has observed with growing concern, distress and amazement” the recent acts of German authorities In violation ofi American rights on the high seas, which culminated in the sinking of the British steamship Lusitania, by which over 100 Americans lost their Ilves, declares: “Manifestly, submarines cannot be used against merchantmen, as the last few weeks have shown, without an inevitable violation of many sacred principles of justice and humanity,” and therefore "the Imperial German government will not expect the government of the United States to omit any work or any act necessary to the performance of its sacred duty of maintaining the rights of the United States and its citizens and of safeguarding their free exercise and enjoyment." Text of U. S. Note. The text of the note from the United States to the German Imperial government transmitted yesterday to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin and to be presented today, to the German foreign office reads as follows: "The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador at Berlin. "Department of State, Washington, May 13, 1915. "Please call on the minister of foreign affairs, and after reading to him this communication, leave with him a copy: ~ “In view of recent acts of the German authorities in violation of American rights on the high seas, which culminated In the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania on May 7, 1915, by which over one hundred American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the United States and the imperial German government should come to a clear understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted. U. 8. Amazed by Act*. “The sinking of the British passenger steamship Falaba by a German submarine on March 28, through which Leon C. Thrasher, an American citizen, was drowned; the attack on April 28 on the American vessel Cushing by a German aeroplane; the torpedoing on May 1 of the American vessel Gulflight by a German submarine, as the result of which two or more American citizens met their death; and finally, the torpedoing and sinking of the steamship Lusitania, constitute a series of events which the government of the United States has observed with growing concern, distress and amazement. “Recalling the humane and enlightened attitude hitherto assumed by the Imperial German government in matters of International right, and particularly with regard to the freedom of the seas; having learned to recognize the German views and the German influence In the field of international obligation as always engaged upon the Bide of justice and humanity; and having understood the instructions of the Imperial German government to its naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humane action prescribed by the naval codes of other nations, the government of the United States was loathe to believe —it cannot now bring itself to believe —that these acts, so absolutely contrary to the rules, the practices and the spirit of modern warfare, could have the countenanc3 cr sanction of that great government. Holds Germany Responsible. “It feels it to be Its duty, therefore, to address the Imperial government concerning them with the utmost frankness, and in the earnest hope that it Is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imperial German government which will correct the unfortunate impressions which have been created and vindicate once more the position at that government, with re-

Fgard to the sacred freedom of the seas. pi' “The government of the United (States has been apprised that the Imiperlal German government considered themselves to be obliged by the extraordinary circumstances of the present war and the measures adopted by their adversaries in seeking to cut Germany off from all commerce, to adopt methods of retaliation which go much beyond the ordinary methods of warfare at sea, in the proclamation of a war zone, from which they have warned neutral ships to keep away. This government has already taken occasion to inform the imperial government that it cannot admit the adoption of such measures or such a warning of danger to operate as in any degree On abbreviation of the rights of American ship masters or of American Citizens bound on lawful errands as passengers on merchant ships of belligerent nationalities; and that it must hold the imperial German government to. a strict accountability for any infringement of those rights, intentional or unintentional. It does not understand the imperial German government to question those rights. It assumes, on the contrary, that the imperial German government accepts, as of coursq, the rule that the lives of noncombatants, whether they be of neutral citizenship or citizens of one of the nations at war, cannot lawfully or rightfully be put in jeopardy by the capture or destruction of an unarmed merchantman, and recognize also, as all other nations do, the obligation to take the usual precaution of visit and search to ascertain wheflier a suspected merchantman is in fact'of belligerent nationality or is in fact carrying contraband of war under,a neutral flag. Seas Must Be Safe for Americans. The government of the United States, therefore, desires to call the attention of the imperial German government, with the utmost earnestness, to the fact that the objection to their present method of attack against the trade of their enemies lies in the practical impossibility of employing submarines in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness, reason, justice and humanity , which all modern opinion regards as imperative. It is practically impossible for the officers of a submarine to visit a merchantman at sea and examine her papers and cargo. Manifestly submarines cannot be used against merchantmen, as the last few weeks have shown,without an inevitable violation of many sacred principles of justice and humanity.

“American citizens act within their indisputable rights in taking their ships and in traveling wherever their legitimate business calls them upon the high seas, and exercise those rights iii what should be the well justified confidence that their lives will not be endangered by acts done in clear violation of universally acknowledged international obligations, and certainly in the confidence that their own government will sustain them in the exercise of their rights. Warning Is No Excuse. “There was recently published in the newspapers of the United States, 1 regret to inform the imperial German government, a formal warning, purporting to come from the imperial German embassy at Washington, addressed to the people of the United States and stating in effect that any citizen of the United States who exercised his right to travel upon the seas would do so at his peril. No warning that an unlawful and inhuman act will be committed can possibly be accepted as an excuse Or palliation for that act, or as an abatement of the responsibility for its commission.

Hopes Germany Will Disavow Acts. “Long acquainted as this government has been with the character of the imperial German government and with the high principles of equity by which they have in the past been actuated and guided, the government of the United States cannot believe that the commanders of the vessels which committed these acts of lawlessness did so except under a misappre hension of the orders issued by the imperial German naval authorities It takes it for granted that, at least within the practical possibilities of everysuch case, the commanders even of submarines were expected to do nothing that would involve the lives of noncombatants or the safety of neutral ships, even at the cost of failing of their object of capture or destruction It confidently expects, therefore, that the imperial German government will disavow the acts of which the government of the United States complains, that they will make reparation so far as reparation is possible for injuries which are without measure, and that they will take immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of anything so obviously subversive of the principles of warfare for which the imperial German government has in the past so wisely and so firmly contended. “The government and people of the United States look to the imperial German government for just, prompt and enlightened action in this vital matter with the greater confidence because the United States and Germany are bound together not only by special ties of friendship, but also by the explicit ;6tipulations of the treaty of 1828 between the United States and the kingdom of Prussia. Will Maintain Rights of U. S. “Expressions of regret and offers of reparation in case of the destruction jof neutral ships sunk by mistake, ■ while they may satisfy international iobligations if no loss of life results,

cannot justify or excuse a practice, the natural and necessary effect of which is to subject neutral nations and neutral persons to new and immeasurable -risks. “The imperial German government will not expect the government of the United States to omit any work or any action necessary to the performance of its sacred duty of maintaining the rights of the United States and its citizens and of safeguarding their free exercise and enjoyment. (Signed) “BRYAN.”