Show WILSON TO DEMAND I. I r EXPLICIT ANSWER WILL INSIST ON DEFINITE STATEMENT STATE MENT FROM GERMANY ON RIGHTS RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS Unfavorable Response to Next Inquiry Inquiry Inquiry In In- Will Result in Severance of Diplomatic Relations and Possibly Possibly Possibly Pos Pos- sibly Other Steps Washington President President Wi Wilson son determined determined determined de de- de- de on Tuesday that the United States must ascertain definitely and very promptly from Germany whether the imperial government intends in inthe inthe inthe the future to be guided by the accepted accepted ac accepted principles of international law lawand lawand lawand and and the rights of neutrals or to follow follow fol fol- fol- fol low lou Its own rules rules' of maritime war war- far fare S The president listened to a a varied expression sion of of opinion at a meeting of his cabinet t taking little part in th the discuss discussion ton himself Later he began the preparation of a note embodying his own ideas and what seemed to him him the consensus of opinion of his I 4 S The trend of opinion was that the United States must inquire and ob oh- obtain tain tam an earl early answer as t to whether Germany intends to recognize the hitherto accepted principle that n neutrals neutrals neu neu- u- u hals may travel anywhere on the high seas on oft on unarmed merchant ships even hven if carrying contraband and that merchantmen which do not resist capture must be visited and searched and the passengers and crew transferred transferred trans trans- to a place ot of safety before the the vessel Is destroyed destroy d. d An unfavorable answer to this Inquiry inquiry in in- would lead it was predicted in official quarters to a severance of diplomatic relations on the ground that the United States could not con- con intercourse urse with a government which repudiated these principles principles' Steps then would be taken f to inform Americans of the dangers to which they were exposed as a result of this action and such measures as necessary necessary sary ary adopted tJ t to s safeguard the l lives ves pond and nd interests interests of citizens of the United States Should Germany accept the principle prin prin- ciple in a way that would constitute a guarantee for for the future th the A Amer Anier- American rier- rier ican government would reiterate its demand for a strict accountability for violations of this' this principle and th killing of Americans in the torpedoing torpedoing torpedoing torpedo torpedo- ing without warning of the Lusitania |