Show kamany DEFENDS SINKING LUSITANIA DECLA DECLARES RESIT IT WAS AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE TO PROTECT LIVES OF HER SOLDIERS berlin note says germany has ha no intention to submit neutral ships in the war zone to attacks by submarines i washington germanas germanys Germ anys reply to the iho american note concerning the sinking of the lusitania with a loss of more than american lives has haa produced a feeling of profound disappointment po ointment hero here germany withholds its final decision on the demands advanced by the united states government in connection with the thel sinking of the lusitania until unfit the receipt of an answer from the united states to tho the note which itera von jagow the foreign minister has delivered to ambassador gerard in reply to the american note received by the german government on nifty may 16 15 lu la its reply the german government declares that it Is not its intention to submit neutral ships in the war zone which are guilty of no hostile acts to attacks by submarines or aeroplanes aero planes that it la Is investigating the circum stances in connection with the attacks on the american steamers cushing and Gul flight and that la in all cases where neutral vessels through no fault of their own hayo have been damaged germany will pay indemnification the reply urges that in the case of the lusitania which germany alleges was armed and carried largo large stores of war munitions it was acting in justified self belf defense in seeking with nil all the means of warfare at its ita disposition to io protect the lives of its sol col diers by destroying ammunition intended tor 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 1 because ll 11 of the refusal of the british government to agree to them president wilson had retired early sunday night before the text arrived but from a reading ot of the summary bublis published lied sunday and ambassador gerards forecasts lie he had an accurate impression of what it contained secretary bryan would make no comment other cabinet officers were reticent but there was little concealment anywhere that the answer from berlin had produced a grave situation in the relations between the united states and germany just what course of action the united states will pursue la Is undetermined the following Is the text of the german note the undersigned undersigner under signed has the honor to submit to ambassador gerard the fol lowing answer to the communication of may 15 regarding the injury to american interests through german submarine warfare the imperial government has subjected the communication of the american government to a thorough investigation it entertains also a keen wish to cooperate in a frank and friendly way in clearing up a possible misunderstanding which may have arisen in the relations between the two governments through the events mentioned by the american government regarding firstly the cases of the american steamers cushing and the american embassy has already been informed that the german government has no intention ot submitting neutral ships in the war zone which are guilty of no hostile acts to attacks by a submarine or submarines or aviators on the contrary the german forces have repeatedly been instructed most specifically to avoid attacks on such ships sees culpable behavior it if neutral ships in recent months have suffered through the german submarine warfare owing to mistakes in identification it at Is a question only of quite isolated and exceptional cases which can be attributed to the british governments abuse of flags together with tha suspicious or culpable behavior of the masters of the ships the german government in all cases in which tt it has been shown by its ats investigations that a neutral not itself at fault was damaged by german submarines or aviators has expressed regret over the unfortunate accident and it if justified by conditions has offered indemnification the cases of the cushing and the Gul flight will be treated on the same principles an investigation of both cases Is in progress the result of alch which will presently be communicated to the embassy the investigation can it if necessary be supplemented by an international call on the international ter commission of inquiry as I 1 provided by article ill III of the hague agreement of october 18 1907 when sinking the british steamer iF lF alaba the commander of the ger aman man submarine had the intention of 1 1 allowing allow ing the passengers and crew a full opportunity for a safe escape I 1 only when the master did not obey the order to heave to but fled and summoned help by rocket signals did dij tho the german commander order th tha crow crew und na passengers gera gr by s signals if nals and megaphones mega phones to leave the a ship h IP within ten minutes ile he actually allowed them twenty three minutes time and tired fired the torpedo only when auspicious craft were hastening t to 0 the assistance of the regarding the loss of life by th the 9 sinking of the british passenger steamer lusitania the german government has already expressed to the th 0 neutral governments concerned its keen regrets that citizens of their states lost their lives on this occasion the imperial government ern ment however cannot escape tho the impression that certain important facts having a direct bearing on the sinking of the lusitania may have escaped tile the attention of the american government in the interest of a clear and complete understanding which Is the alin aim of loth both governments govern menta the imperial government considers it first feces say bay to convince itself that the information accessible to both governments about the facts 0 the case Is complete and in accord the government of the united S staffa t afes proceeds on the assumption that the lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchantman tho imperial government allows allow 0 itself in this connection to point out that the lusitania was ono one of the largest and fastest british merchant ships built with government funds tta NO an auxiliary cruiser and carried expressly as such in the navy list issued iby by the british admiralty says was armed it Is further known to the imperial governa government go vernm nt from trustworthy reports from its agents and neutral passengers that tor for a considerable time practically all the more valuable british merchantman merchantmen merchant men have been equipped with cannon and ammunition and other weapons and manned with persons who have been specially trained in serving guns tho the lusitania Lusi tanta too according to information received here had cannon aboard which were mounted and concealed below decks tho the imperial government further has the honor to direct the particular attention of the american government to the fact that the british admiralty nil ralty in a confidential instruction issued in february 1915 recommended its mercantile shipping not only to seek protection under neutral flags and distinguishing marks but also while thus disguised to attack german submarines by ramming As a special incitation to merchantmen merchantman merchant men to destroy submarines the british government also offered prizes and has already paid such rewards the tha imperial government in view of these facts indubitably known to it la is unable to regard british merchant men in the zone of naval operations specified by the admiralty staff of the german navy as undefended german commanders consequently are no longer able to observe the customary regulations of the prize law which they before always followed carried ammunition finally the imperial government must point out particularly that the lusitania on its last trip as on earlier occasions carried canadian troops and war material including no less than cases of ammunition intended for tho the destruction of the bravo german soldiers who are fulfilling their duty with self bolf sacrifices and devotion devot loa in the fat herlands service the german government believes that it was acting in justified self defense in seeking with all tho means of warfare at its disposition to protect tho the lives of its soldiers by destroying ying ammunition intended for the enemy blames ship company the british shipping company must have been aware of the danger to which the passengers aboard tho the lusitania wore were exposed under these conditions the company in embarking them notwithstanding this attempted deliberately to use tile tho lives of american citizens as protection to tor r the ammunition aboard and acted against the clear provisions of the american law which expressly prohibits the forwarding of passengers on ships carrying ammunition and provides a penalty the company therefore Is wantonly guilty of the death of so many passengers there can be no doubt according to the definite report of the submarines rines commander which Is further confirmed by all other information that the quick sinking of the lust tania ls Is primarily attributable to the explosion of the ammunition shipment caused by a torpedo tho the Lusita lusitanian nias passengers would otherwise in all human probability have been saved the imperial government consid ers era the above mentioned facts important enough to recommend them to the attentive examination of the american government no final decision the imperial government while withholding its final decision on the demands advanced in connection with the sinking of the lusitania until receipt of an answer from the american governments government feels impelled in conclusion to recall here and now that it took cognizance with satisfaction of the proposals submitted by the united states government to berlin and london as a basis for a modus tor for conducting the maritime warfare between germany and great britain the imperial government by its readiness to enter upon a discussion of these proposals then demonstrated its good intentions tent ions in ample fashion the realization of these proposals was defeated as Is well known by the attitude of the british government the undersigned undersigner under signed takes occasion etc e te I 1 JAGOW 11 |