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Show FIRM NOTE TO THE KAISER IS READY Cabinet Approves Demand for Adherence to Rules of Maritime Warfare. Voices Public Feeling. Washington, May 11. President Wilson bad practically decided tonight to-night on tho first stop In tho policy which tho United States government will pursuo as a result of the sinking of tho BrltlBM liner Lusltanla with tho loss of mora than a hundred American Am-erican lives. The President will act promptly--within another day or two. A draft of a communication to bo sent to Germany was submitted to tho cabinet cabi-net today and approved unanimously. Whllo no official announcement was mado, it was learned that tho United Unit-ed States would present and liiBlst upon an explanation of tho series of incidents which have occurred sluco tho proclamation of a war zoi.o around tho British Isles tho sinking of tho, Falaba, causing tho death nf Leon O. Thresher, nn American citizen, citi-zen, tho attack by Gorman airmen on the American steamer Cushlng, tho torpedoing of tho Amorlcan steamer Gulfllght and finally tho destruction without warning of tho Lusltanla with a toll of moro than a thouc-nd lives. Asks for Definite Assurance In what aro described by thoso fa. miliar with the document as firm and unmistakable terms, tho Prcsl dont voices tho intenso feeling of tho United States over these happon-lugs happon-lugs and in tho namo of international internation-al law demands nn adherenco by Germany Ger-many to tho established rules of maritime mar-itime warfare. Tho natn asks that somo assurance) or guarantee bo given hereafter that unarmed merchant vessels carrying noncombatants bo visited aud searched search-ed when encountered on tho high seas by tho Gorman navy and passongors and crow transferred to n placo of safoty beforo any prlzo 1b destroyed. Notice Doog Not Justify The President points out, it Is understood, un-derstood, that tho United Statos lu its noto which said Gormany would bo hold "to strict accountability" for any attacks on American vessels or lives had not admitted any right on tho part of Germany to carry on such methods of warfaro, and declares, moreovor, that tho giving of official notlco of an Intention to commit an unjustifiable act did not Justify tho act or mako it lawful. What will follow In ovont of n ro-fusal ro-fusal by Gormany to comply with tho wishes of tho noto about to bo sent no ono of tho President's official family would predict. Thoy said tho President was determined to act firmly firm-ly and deal with each situation as it , aroso. It was pointed out, too, that In his spooch In Philadelphia, in reference ref-erence to peace, Mr. Wilson was ox-prosslng ox-prosslng raoroly an Ideal that ho wished America could and would follow. fol-low. Ready For Emergency Persons familiar with tho President's Presi-dent's point of vlow Indicated, however, howev-er, that ho was by no meanr unpro- (Continued on page eight) FIRM NOTE TO I KAISER READY flflfl (Continued (root pago one) flfl BBBj inrod for or unnuaro of U10 possiblo BBBJ ccntualltlus of tlio present crisis BBBJ ah il know tlmt circumstances and BBBJ I etcnts ovor which tlio United States BBBJ might hnve no control might demand BBBJ vigorous action. BBBJ The circular from tlio German gov- BBBj. crnment to neutral counties, assum fl 1"S responsibility and promising rep- BBBJP , a ration for any damago In the war BBBJ ! j zona to neutral vessels will not nf- BBBf .& feet tlio determined courso of tlio BBf President. It was considered by tlio BBBJ cabinet today, but high olttclnls later BBBJ pointed out, that tbcro Is no gunran- BBBJ I too In It that tlio lives of Americans H will bo Bafcguarded, as submarines IiHHm 1 i cannot nccommodato passengers or crow of tlio vossels they attack 1 Has Warned Commanders BBflfl Germany, through Ambassador Got- k ! nrd, today notlfled tlio United States BBBfl that submarlno commanders had BBflB t boon specifically Instructed not to BBflflj harm neutral vessels not engaged In Bflfl hostllo acts, and that Germany would BBflB pay for damagos to such ships In tlio B war fl Tlio toxt of the announcement B ' which was issued by tlio Dorlln for- BBBBf elgn ofllco In tlio form of a circular ' 1 ' "The Imperial German government 1 j v. naturally haB no Intention of causing B, to bo nttacked by submarines or air- BBBB ' craft such neutral ships of commorco BBBB In tho zono of naval warfnro or doftn- BBBB Holy descrlbod in tho notlco of tho BBBB Gorman admiralty staff of February JflflflJ 1 last, as havo been guilty of no hostile HHflfl ,1 t net. On tho contrary, tlio most dofln- BBBBj ito instructions repeatodly have been BBBBJ Issued to German war vessols to BBBBJ avoid attacks 011 bucIi ships under all BBBBJ circumstances. Even whou such BBBBJ ships havo contraband of war on BBBBJ board they aro dealt with by sulima- BBBBJ rlnos solely according to the rulo of BBBBJ I international law applying to prlzo BBBBj BBBBJ Dernburg's Course Disapproved BBBBJ H dovolopod during tlio day that BBBBJ i serious consldoratlon had been glv- BBBBJ ') ' en to tho status of Dr. Bemliard BBBBJ i . Dernburg, former German colonial BBBBJ secretary, who has been In this coun- H a try for several months as a spokes- BflflB man for tho Gorman causo. Tho B statements of Dr. Dernburg Justify- B ' Ing tho torpedoing of tho Lusttanla BflflB ns nn Incident of war, taken In con- B ncctlon with other utterances, aro H I understood to havo mot with strong HflflflB 1 disapproval In high executive quart- iors. This has lod to some examination examina-tion of precedents to see what cours cs nro open to the govornmont to restrict tho embarrassment which many officials feel has resulted from his activity. Tho doparturo of Dr BBBt . Dernburg or tho cessation of his ac- H tlvitles would, it was Intimated, not JflHHB 1'0 unwolcomo to the authorities here, Hflflflfli to say tho BBBBBBBBBBBI |
