Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1915 — GERMAN REPLY DISAPPOINTING [ARTICLE]

GERMAN REPLY DISAPPOINTING

United States to Stand by Submarine Demands—Wilson to Insist On Every Point of His Protest. Germany’s reply to the American note growing out of the sinking of the Lusitania, reached Washington Sunday night and was made public in the newspapers the following day. The reply is unsatisfactory and disappointing and it is believed that President Wilson will frankly tell the German government so.

Germany justifies the sinking of the Lusitania, saying that the liner carried guns mounted and concealed below decks. It withholds final decision of the demands of the United States in Conection with the sinking of the Lusitania until the receipt, of an answer from this government" to the German reply to the charge that the Lusitania carried guns. It is understood that the boat was thoroughly examined just before it sailed by officers of this government and no guns were on the ship.

In its reply the German government declares that it is not its intention to submit neutral in the war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by submarine or aeroplane; that it is investigating the circumstances in conection with the attacks on the American steamers Cushing and Gulflight, and that in all cases where neutral vessels, through, no fault of their own, have been damaged, Germany will pay indemnification. The reply urges that in the case of

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the Lusitania, which Germany alleges was armed and carried large stores of war munitions, it was “acting in justified self-defense in seeking with all the means of warfare at its disposition to protect the lives of its soldiers by destroying ammunition intended for the enemy.” The German government recalls the proposals submitted by the United States government to Berlin and London, designed to end the submarine warfare and the shutting out of food supplies from Germany, which, it declares, failed of their purpose because of the refusal of the British government to agree to them.

Press dispatches giving the text of the reply came during Sunday evening and were sent to the White House. The official text from Ambessador Gerard arrived just before midnight and was placed before the Monday.

From a previous knowledge of President Wilson’s position, it is generally predicted that a prompt answer would be sent to Berlin, perhaps within 24 to 48 hours. This is expected to give the American government’s understanding of the facts —that the Lusitania was unarmed and carried no concealed guns; that she sailed from the United States a peaceful merchantman, and that under all rules of international law and humanity the vessel should have been visited and searched and her passengers transferred to a place of safety whether she carried ammunition or not.

American law does not prohibit ammunition from being carried on passenger ships, it will be asserted, but only self-exploding material, and liners in the past have been permitted to carry arms and ammunition by special ruling of the state department on the meaning of federal statutes.

Germany’s failure even to discuss the reparation demanded by the American note, and evasion of the request that guarantees be given that American vessels and lives be not endangered in the future, are the main points, however, which the United States government, it is generally believed, would advert in the second note. The expressions of regret and offers of reparation for unintentional attacks on neutral ships are expected to have little weight in determining the nature of the response of the United States.