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Show GERMANY DEFENDS SlilfJGLUSIIim DECLARES IT WAS AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE TO PROTECT LIVES OF HER SOLDIERS. Berlin Note Says Germany Has No Intention to Submit Neutral Ships in the War Zone to Attacks by Submarines. Washington. Germany's reply to the American note concerning the sinking of the Lusitania with a loss of more than 100 American lives, has produced a feeling of profound disappointment disap-pointment here. Germany withholds its final decision on the demands advanced by the Unit-1 ed States government in connection with the sinking of the Lusitania, until un-til the receipt of an answer from the United States to the note which Herri von Jagow, the foreign minister, has j delivered to Ambassador Gerard in re- ply to the American note received by the German government on May 15. In 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; that it is investigating the circumstances circum-stances in connection 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, dam-aged, Germany will pay indemnification. indemnifica-tion. The reply urges that in the case of the Lusitania, which Germany alleges was armed and carried large stores of war munitions, it was 'acting in justified self-defense in seeking with an me means of wanare at its disposition dis-position to protect the lives of its soldiers sol-diers by destroying ammunition intended in-tended for the enemy." The German government recalls the proposals submitted by the United States government to Berlin and Lou-con, Lou-con, designed to end the submarine warfare and the shutting out of food supplies from Germany, which, it de-' Cares, failed of their purpose be- cause of the refusal of the British government to agree to them. j President Wilson had retired early Sunday night, before the text arrived. iu: from a reading of the summary published Sunday and Ambassador Gerard's forecasts he had an accurate ' impression of w hat it contained. Sec- i reiary Bryan would make no com- j ment. Other cabinet officers were re ticent, but there was little concealment conceal-ment 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 pur-sue is undetermined. The following is the text of the German note: "The undersigned has the honor to submit to Ambassador Gerard the following fol-lowing answer to the communication of May 15 regarding the injury to American interests through German submarine warfare: "The imperial government has subjected sub-jected the communication of the American government to a thorough investigation. It entertains also "a keen wish to co-operate in a frank and friendly way in clearing up a possible pos-sible misunderstanding which may-have may-have arisen in the relations between the two governments through the evects mentioned by the American government. Hesrarding. firstly, the cases oi the American steamers Cush-ir.g Cush-ir.g and Gulflight. The American embassy em-bassy has already been informed that the German government has no in-ier.:ion in-ier.:ion of submitting oeutr.il ships in the war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by a submarine sub-marine or submarines, or aviators. On the contrary, the German forces have repeatedly been instructed most specifically speci-fically to avoid attacks on such ships. Sees Culpable Behavior. "If neutral ships in recent months have suffered through the German submarine warfare, owing to mistakes in identification, it js a question only of quite isolated and exceptional cases which can be attributed to the British Brit-ish government's abuse of flags, together to-gether with the suspicious or culpable behavior of the masters of the ships. "The German government, in all cases in which it has been shown by-its by-its investigations that a neutral strip, not itself at fault, was damaged by-German by-German submarines or aviators, has expressed regret over the unfortunate accident, and. if justified by conditions, condi-tions, has offered indemnification. "The cases of the Cushing and the Gulflight will be treated on the same principles. An investigation of both cases is in progress, the result of which will presently be communicated communi-cated to the embassy. The investigation investiga-tion can. if necessary, be supplemented supplement-ed by an international call on the international in-ternational commission of inquiry as provided by Article III rf The Hague agreement of October IS. 1907. "When sinking the British steamer Falaba. the commander of the German Ger-man submarine had the intention of allowing the passengers and crew a full opportunity for a safe escape. Only when the master did not obey the order to heave to. but fled and summoned help by rocket signals, did the German commander order the crew end passengers by signals and megaphones to leave the ship within ten minutes. He actually allowed them twenty-three minutes' time and fired the torpedo only when suspicious sus-picious craft were hastening to the assistance of the Falaba. ' Regarding the loss of life by the sinking of the British passenger steamer Lusitania. the German government gov-ernment has already expressed to the neutral governments concerned its keen regrets that citizens of their - states lost their lives. "On this occasion the imperial government, gov-ernment, however, cannot escape the impression that certain important facts having a direct bearing on the sinking of the Lusitania may have escaped the attention of the American Ameri-can government. I "In the interest of a clear and com- plete understanding, which is the aim of both governments, the imperial government considers it first neces-say neces-say to convince itself that the information infor-mation accessible to both governments govern-ments about the facts of the case is complete and in accord. "The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchantman. merchant-man. The imperial government allows itself in this connection to point out i.i-.L me luMiania was one ot the largest and fastest British merchant ships, built w-ith government funds j as an auxiliary cruiser, and ear-I ear-I ried expressly as such in the 'navv l;sf issued by the British admiralty, Says Lusitania Was Armed. "It is further known to the imperiai governmsst, from trustworthy reports from its agents and neutral" passengers, passen-gers, that for a considerable time practically all the more valuable British Brit-ish merchantmen have been equipDed with cannon and ammunition and other weapons and manned with persons per-sons who have been specially trained in serving guns. The Lusitania, too. according to information received here, had cannon aboard, which were mounted and concealed below- decks. "The imperial government further has the honor to direct the particular !T f -in TiiYi rtf -1,., -..vn.tt,u v,t Luc American govern-I govern-I ment to the fact that the British ad-I ad-I miralty in a confidential instruction j issued in February. 1915, recommend-! recommend-! ed its mercantile shipping not onlv to 1 seek protection under "neutral ' flags ! and distinguishing marks, but also, j while thus disguised, to attack German ! submarines by ramming. As a special incitation to merchantmen to destrov submarines the British government also offered prizes and has already paid such rewards. "The imperial government, in view of these facts indubitably known to it. is unable to regard British merchantmen 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. I u,,,..u 1 1 1 111 u ri 11 10 n. "Finally, the imperial government j 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 , 0.40O cases of ammunition, intended j for the destruction of the brave Ger-1 Ger-1 man soldiers who are fulfilling their , duty with self-sacrifices and devotion in the fatherland's service. "The German government believes 1 that it was acting in justified self-! self-! defense in seeking with all the means : of warfare at its disposition to pro-I pro-I tect the lives of its soldiers by de-I de-I stroying ammunition intended for the j enemy. ; Blames Ship Company. 'The British shipping company must have been aware of the dancer ' to which the passengers aboard the , Lusitania were exposed under these conditions. The company in embarking embark-ing them, notwithstanding this, at-, at-, tempted deliberately to use the lives ; of American citizens as protection for the ammunition aboard and acted 1 against the clear provisions of the American law, which expressly prohibits prohib-its the forwarding of passengers on ; ships carrying ammunition and pro-t pro-t vides a penalty therefor. The com-I com-I pany, therefore, is wantonly guilty of j the tioath of so many passengers.-j passengers.-j "There can be no doubt, according to the definite report of the subma- rine's commander, which Is further I confirmed by all other information, I that the quick sinking of the Lusi-I Lusi-I tania is primarily attributable to the j explosion of the ammunition shipment j caused by a torpedo. The Lusitania's - passengers would otherwise, in all hu-! hu-! man probability, have been saved. "The imperial government considers consid-ers the above mentioned facts important import-ant enough to recommend them to , the attentive examination of the American Amer-ican government No Final Decision. "The imperial government, while withholding its final decision on the I demands advanced in connection with I 'he sinking of the Lusitania until receipt re-ceipt of an answer from the Ameri- can government, feels impelled, in ! conclusion, to recall here and now that it took cognizance with satisfae- tion of the mediatory proposals sub-. sub-. mitted by the United States government govern-ment to Berlin and Ixindon as a basis I for a modus vivendi for conducting J the maritime warfare between Gor-I Gor-I many and Great Britain. The impe-j impe-j rial government by its readiness to j enter upon a discussion of these pro- posals then demonstrated its good in-j in-j tentions in ample fashion. The reali-I reali-I zation of these proposals was defeated, ' as is well known, by the declinatory attitude of the British government. "The undersigned takes occasion j f,,c-" JAGOW." ' j |