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VOLUME XX. NO. 77.
MJst'i . ASHEVIU2,N.O., WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 12, 1915
PRICE 2 CENTS o Moro-'
. 11 II' I III '"' ! MS ! I ll.l-II.H f ft . ' '
Severing
of Diplotrmtic
RMcd
tons i
T AT
viay
Follow V. S. Demands to Be Sent Germany
If Guarrantees to America Are Refused
WILSON PmPARED
The Note to Berlin Satisfies
Cabinet Members Who
Advocated Policy.
MAIN TAINS HONOR
AND U. S. DIGNITY
Asks for Accounting of Violations
of American Rights and Ter- ,
mination of Practices.
LIFE BELTS ON
I
position of the United States
government toward Germany.
The circular from the Ger
man government to neutral
countries, assuming responsi
bility and promising repara
tion for any damage in the war
zone to neutral vessels will not
affect the determined course of
the - president. It was consid
ered by the cabinet yesterday,
but high officials later pointed
out that there is no guarantee
in it that the lives of Ameri
cans will be safeguarded, as
submarines cannot accommo
date passengers or crew of the
vessels they attack; While it
was regarded as a promise for
reparation in the cases of the
Gulflight and the Cushing, if
it shall be proven that they
were damaged by Germans, the
opinion of high officials of the
Washington government was
that' the 1 communication did
not alter the main issue the
torpedoing without J&rning
of unarmed merchant ships of
any nationality carrying non
combatants. The circular modifies the or
iginal proclamation of the war
zone in the sense that respon
sibility for mistakes is now
assumed, and the right of visit
and search is to be exercised
against vessels flying neutral
flags, while destruction of neu
tral ' vessels carrying contra
band is to be conducted under
Heavy Death Rate Among
American First Cabin Men
i
Seems Partly Due ;to
Lack of 'preservers.
1
MM
M
GERMANY
Submarines Not to Harm Neu
tral Vessels Not Engaged in
Hostile Acts; Repara
tion if Damaged.
LIKELY 10 WIN
Supreme Court Seems to Favor
Asheville Woman's Side in
Woman Notary Case
Now Under Test
AMERICANS DISPLAYED
' coolness And courage
TO observe naval war
RULES WITH NEUTRALS
I
Washington, May 12. The United' States government in
a note to Germany formally demands that the imperial Ger
man government give a strict accounting of the loss .of Amer
ican lives from the' sinking of. .the, XUBitaniav4n4-i(la.tlms'
of American rights in the war zone. The note also asks for
guarantees that there' will bo no repetition of such practices.
With plain intimri.ions in.it that the United States is
prepared to meet any eventuality arising from non-compliance
on the part of Germany the communication, phrased
with unmistakable emphasis, was prepared to be cabled to
Berlin by nightfall. . . . .
Written by tiie president and approved unanimously by
the radical and conservative members of the cabinet the note
is being carefully examined by Counsellor Lansing and oth
er law officials of the state department to make sure that the
phraseology has covered every point of law involved. White
house officials announced that the president had finally de
termined on a course of action to be pursued.
Washington. May 12. The following statement on the
Lusitania incident was made public todaj ;at the Vhite House 4 q internatlonal law
vy secretary lumuity, ionowiug u wuieieuw wim
dent Wilson:
"The course of the president has been determined and
will be announced as soon as it is proper to publish the note
vhich is now in preparation."
President Wilson has Virtually completed the note which
will be sent to Germany as the result of the sinking of the
Lusitania. It asks for an accounting by Germany of the ser
ies of violations of American rights in the war zone not
only financial but moral and for a guarantee that there
"will bo no repetition of unlawful practices by German sub
marines '
Late today or early tomorrow the note, approved by the
cabinet, will be sent to Ambassador Gerard to be presented
to the Berlin government. The final details of the noto are
being revised with care.
Members of the cabinet who have advocated, a vigorous
foreign policy are satisfied with the terms of the note and
the more conservative members also approve it. -
That the note maintains the dignity and honor of the
United States is the unanimous opinion. The president is
Raid to realize the gravity of its meaning and is prepared for
any eventuality that may follow its presentation. The note
does not say exactly what the course of the 'United States
"fill bo in case of a refusal by Germany to . accede to the
terms, nor would the president's advisors indicate what it
might be beyond saying that each new development would
ho considered as it arose. .
the United States in a former
note said it demanded. The
note is said not only to ask for
a termination of unlawful
methods in German submarine
warfare on merchantmen but
that the German government
cause reparation to be made
the families of the victims of
the Lusitania tragedy.
- Everywhere in official quar
ters today as details of tho
president's plans became
known there was talk of a
firmness and stiffening of the
governing prizes, inese re
quire the transfer to a place of
safety of passengers and crew
if the vessel is destroyed. Just
how a submarine will be able
to carry out this obligation
was not explained in the circu
lar and left officials very much
in doubt on this point.
'Rules Disregarded.
London, May 11. "International
law haa been during the last ten
month more completely disregarded,
cast down and trampled under foot
than I think It ever was within the
last four or five centuries," said Vis
count Bryce, formerly British am
bassador at Washington, on presiding
at a lecture on International law here
yesterday.
"Apart from the cruelties to the
which has been subjected to worse
treatment than that which befell
combatants," he continued, "ships
In official quarters, however,
the eventual severance of dip
lomatic relations with Ger
many was declared not to be
impossible if there is no abate
ment of German practices.
It was learned today that
iho pacific utterances of Pres
ident Wilson in his speech at
Philadelphia Monday night are
not reflected in the firm and un
equivocal phrasing of tho noto,
fahich is described as a busi-ttoss-liko
document, demanding
n 'strict accountability' which
Cunard Company Sends Tug
to Search for the, Bodies
Which Are Still Be-
ing Recovered.
Queenstown, Ireland, May 12. The
recovery of the body of Albert
Thompson of Toronto, which was
found by an admiralty trawler not far
from the scene of the sinking of the
Lusitania led to the hope that addi
tional bodies of the victims of the
tragedy might be found. Ten uniden
tified bodies have also been landed at
Baltimore 47 miles southwest of Cork.
All hope o fln!inl further survivors
has been'abahdoned.
A current of two and a half to three
knots races about Old Head Klnsale
and this augmented by a stiff east
wind might at the end of eight or nlno
days carry bodies ashore around Cape
Clear on the west Irish coast.
The Cunard company after much
trouble has sent a tug to the scene of
the disaster to search for bodies. There
are Indications that the heavy death
list among American men of the first
cabins was due to the scarcity of life
belts. Many gave their preservers to
women. There was t preponderance
of testimony that no American men
entered a boat except from the water.'
Webb Wade, secretary of Alfred G.
Vandcrbilt, has not been able to ar
range with the authorities to charter a
tug to search tor other bodies as well
as that of Mr. Vanderbllt. Until he
heard the story of Dr. Kenan, Wade be
lieved his employer had entered one
of the boats that had been smashed,
but as Dr. Kanan's story Is indefinite
It Is accepted generally as a correct
version of Vanderbllt's last moments.
When the liner was In her death
throes there was no cooler group than
that of Madam De Page, Herbert 8.
Stone, Lindon W. Bates, Jr., and Dr. J.
T. Houghton. The last named was the
only survivor of the party. The little
band guided women and children to
the life boats, supplied life belts,
bound up wounds and then Jumped
hopelessly Into the water. . .
Neutral Ships Carrying Con
traband to Be Dealt With
According to Laws Ap
plying to Courts.
T
IS CONFLICTS ON
MANY FRONTS
THOMAS S. ROLLINS
SPEAKS FOR WOMAN
Attorney General Bickett Does
Not Oppose New Law and
Doubts if Notary Is
Public Officer.
not engaged in warlike operations
have suddenly been sunk and their
crews drowned.
"The technical legal description of
pirates wan that they were enemies
of the human race. They are every
body's enemies alike. They are wild
beasts .on sea and a danger not to
one's particular nation, but . to all
mankind, and neutrals will be just as
much ultimately Involved as are tho
nations at war."
Viscount Bryce added that the
German Idea that they terrify nation
was another of the numerous mis
takes the Germans had made.
ANTI-GERMAN
RIOTS SERIOUS
London, May 12. Anti-German
outbreaks of particular
severity are occurring in the
neighborhood of the (East In
dian docks. Sixty or seventy
German shops have been
wrecked. Germans in the vi
cinity have united for self de
fense and police reinforce
ments are being rushed to tho
scene.
German establishments have
been sacked and their con
tents have been scattered over
tho streets. Tho keepers have
ben baton or forced to hide.
Tho police in some cases
have been defied and some of
ficers have been injured trying
to furnish protection, while the
proprietors of several German
places . havo been severely
mauled. In some cases their
clothes have been torn off.
One German was thrown in
to a horse trough with the re
minder that his compatriots
had drowned women and chil
dren. Ho was rescued by the
police.
Washington, May 12. Germany,
through Ambassador Gerard, has no
tilled the United States that subma
rine commanders had been specifical
ly instructed not to harm neutral
vessels not engaged In hostile acts,
and that Germany would pay for
damaies to such ships in the war
zone.
Neutral ships carrying contraband
frill be dealt with, the announcement
says, according to the rules of naval
warfare. If neutral ships are acci
dentally damaged in the war zone
Germany will express Its regret and
pay damages without prize court pro
ceedings.
The German government Justifies
its submarine warfare on the ground
that England is threatening to starve
the civilian population of Germany
by prohibiting neutral commerce In
foodstuffs and other necessaries.
In previous communications Ger
many has disclaimed responsibility for
any harm that might befall neutral
vessels venturing into the war zone.
The text of the announcement
cabled by Ambassador Gerard which
was Issued by the German foreign
office Is In the form of a circular as
follows:
'First, Imperial Gtrman govern
ment naturally has no intention of
causing to be attacked by submarines
or aircraft such neutral ships of com
merce In the scene of naval warfare
or definitely described In the notice
of the German admiralty staff of
February 4 last, as having been guilty
of no hostilo act. On the contrary, the
most definite instructions repeatedly
have been issued to German war
vessels to avoid attacks on such ships
under all circumstances. Even when
such ships have contraband of war
on board they are dealt with by sub
marines solely according to the rule
of internatlonal law applying to prize
warfare.
"Two. Should a neutral ship never
theless come to harm through Ger
man submarines or aircraft on ac
count of an unfortunate (x) In the
above mentioned zone of naval war
fare the German government will tin
reservedly recognize Its responsibility
therefor. In such a case It will ex
press Its keenest resrets and afford
damages without first Instituting a
prize court action.
"Three. It Is the custom or the (er
man government as soon as the sink
ing of a neutral ship in the above
mentioned Hone of naval warfare Is as
cribed to German war vessels to In
stitute an Immediate Investigation Into
the cause. If the grounds appear
thereby to be given for association of
such an hypothesis the German navy
places Itself In communication with
the Interested neutral government so
that the latter may also Institute an
Investigation.
"If i the German government Is
thereby convinced that the ship has
been destroyed by German war vessels
It will not delny In carrying out the
provisions of paragraph two above.
In case the German government, con
trary to the viewpoint of the neutral
government, Is noi convinced by the
result of the inxcetlgntlon the German
government hts already on several
occasions declared Itsrff ready to al
low the question to be' derided by an
International Investigation commission.
according to chapter three of The
Hague of October U. 11T. for the
peaceful solution of International dis
putes." (x) Indicates word missing In text.
French Report They Are Hold-:
ing Gains Near Arras Ex- '
cept in One Place of 1
Counter Attack.
GERMANS MAKING
DESPERATE EFFORTS
Russians Pressing Hard and
Are Hard Pressed Turks
Lose Heavily in Galli
poli Peninsula.
Paris, May 12. The French
war office has issued the fol
lowing statement:
"In the sector north of Ar
ras we nave maintained our
gains except in front of Loos,
where a night, counter attack,
resulted in the taking by the
Germans of a part of the ter
ritory we captured during the
day. On the rest of the front
there were artilley engage
ments yesterday."
Fighting Everywhere.
London, May 12. With two of the
greatest battles of the war in prog
ress one between Arras and the Bel
gian coast and the other in western
Galicla to say nothing of operations
In the Dardanelles, and lesser en
gagements along the ' eastern and
western fronts, the armies of the bel
ligerents are now fully occupied.
The battle In northern France and
Flanders might be divided Into three
sections.
From the coast to Dlxmude the
Belgians, supported by French ma
rines have taken the offensive,
and besides repulsing. German coun
ter attacks, have gained a footing
on the right bank of the Tser canal.
Around Ypres, particularly to the
east of that town, the Germans con
tinue to attack the British lines and
again are using gas and a tremend
ous amount of artillery, but, accord
ing to the British, version, without
making any impression.
Farther south as far as Arras, the
French continue their offensive and
have made material progress, cap
turing a number of Gormans, with
guns and machine guns. ,
Great importance is attached ' to
the French operations, aa It threat
ens the German lines of communlca-
three propositions., Is one who Is nottlon for the armies on the Olse and
eligible to vote eligible to hold ajthe Aisne. The battle will doubtless
public office In North Carolina; is the i not be decided for days. - ,
position of notary public a publlo of- According 'to the French report,
flee? And particularly, can a woman 'the Germans, their railway lines hav
hold the position of notary public? ing been destroyed by allied airmen,
Attorney General's Position. have brought up reinforcements by
Attorney General Bickett 'was ex- motors. These have been met by the
pected to oppose the law, but he did j concentrated fire of the French ar
not. He presented both sides and of-tlllery. In fact, the artillery la becom
fered all the law In favor of each ; Ing more and more the determining
contention that he could rake and j factor in the war.
scrape. The position of Mr. Bickett I Around Vprea, the Germans, before
was much the same as that of ; launching their attacks, which have
Preacher Tom Trott aa a baseball , been delivered on successive days,
plnyer. Mr. Trott did not )lk to ! thoroughly searched the ground with
"play In the field." and he announced heavy and light guns, subjecting the
that he would always he willing to British to a bombardment sucn aa
(By W. T. Bost)
Raleigh, May 12. The Supreme
court listened with a sort of facial
flexibility yesterday to the woman
notary argument wherein Mrs. Nolan!
Knight is concerned, and betrayed
the suspicion that its mind is made
up for the ladies.
- Josh Billings would - have called
guessing at ' Supreme court , decisions
as "oncommonly pesky and onsartln
business," but the double score of
women were satisfied yesterday when
they left the Supreme court hall. The
court did not appear to be perplexed
and asked no embarrassing questions
of the lawyers who did their best to
enlighten it. There was no real con
troversy, the attorney general on the
part of the state speaking from every
angle.
Thomas S. Rollins, former republi
can state chairman,- appeared for the
legislative act giving women the right
to exercise notarial power. Mr. Rollins
spoke for Mrs. Nolan Knight, his
stenographer, who was the first wo
man to receive appointment under
the act. When the law was debated
In the general assembly an under
standing was reached only one worn
an should be appointed until the con
stitutionality of the statute should be
determined. Accordingly Governor
Craig honored his home town. I
This was the first time In several
years that any considerable number
of women have attended any sitting
of the Supreme court to hear an ar
gument. At all hearings on this and
other bills relating to women, .the
galleries of the house and senate were
filled with women. The notary act
was passed one day when everybody
had his back turned. Then somebody
came in and started such trouble as
to cause the house to reconsider. The
action of the house came near prov
ing what the philosopher said of wo
man, "wise upon Impulse, a fool upon
reflection." Reflection came near los
ing the bill In the house.
The argument now turns upon
London, May II. An official list
has been posted by the stock xohangi
which shows that about (Of members
of the exchange will not apply for re
election for the current year. In nor
mal times the exchange membership U
about 800ft. '
piny If they allowed him to "knock
on both sides." Mr. Bickett knocked
each side yesterday. i
The attorneys did a little fine dis
tinguishing In the early part of the
discussion as to whether the consti
tution holds that only a voter shall
be eligible to office. It was argued
by Mr. Rollins that there was no dec-
isratlon written Into the constitution
that one who Is not a voter Is Ineli
gible to office. State vs. Rateman was
Plted In the 12 N. C. 161 to show
thnt the peculiar phraseology In the
North Caro'lna constitution, article
4, section 1 and article C section 7,
la related to the newly franchlsed
element and that as some day a ma
jority might be opposed to their hold
ing office, the provision "every vot
er except aa disqualified by the con
stitution," was emnloved.
lnHlnn or Ptiblki Office.
Th" debate was then pitched upon
the nature of the notarial position.
Th lesisialur said that It (s nt an
office. Judge Clark wss quoted In a
(Continued on Pag t.)
they themselves received at Neuv
Chapelle. Officers and men who have
escaped from It state that the
trenches were utterly destroyed and
the ground churned up . by the
shells.
Nevertheless the British found
some kind of heller, - and mowed
down the German Infantry when It
tried to advance.-
There are no signs of the German
attacks slackening. The Germans are
reported to be concentrating more
levies n Belgium, ready to tak the
place of or support those on the fir- .
Ing Una. Indeed, many believe that
the biggest effort yet undertaken to
reach the French coast porta la now
under way.
Cap Ilatlen. May II. In a battl
today near Cap 11a, ten the govern-
ment troop routed U forces of Ir.
Konnlvo llobo, rebel leader who
cam to Cap Itatlen May 7 and held
th city until th arrival of the gov-
t eminent troops.