I
NOTE TO GERMANY IS HtlENDLY
IN US B
Gives
Assurances That
Given
No Warning,
And Made No
Gate is -belt upen JTor tfermany
That Ship Was. Not Thoroughly Inspected.Only
Warlike Act Will Provoke War. ..
Washington. The United States in
its latest note to "Germany formally
asks tne imperial Government for-assurances
that measures hereafter will
be adopted to safeguard .. "American
lives and American ships" on the high
asas. The alternative in case of re
fusal is not stated. . x ; . '
It was this note to which JSVllllam
Jennings Bryan refused to attach liia
signature, resigning instead his port
folio of state, thereby precipitating a
dramatic Cabinet crisis. Hobert Lans
ing, Secretary of State, and interim,
signed the communication which went
forth with the . approval of President
Wilson and hisientire Cabinet '
Friendly terms characterize the
document, which renew, representa
tions made in the American note of
Hay 15 after the' Lusitania was tor
pedoed and sunk. The German Gov
ernment, it is declared "must . have
Im misinformed," when it assumed
that the Lusitanla carried guns, as of
ficial information is at hand to cor
roborate the original contention, of
'. the Washington"" Government that
the Lusitania ' was an unarmed pas
senger ship which, since it did- not
resist capture could not be sunk with
T out transferring passengers and crew
to a place of safety.
Text of the Note.
: The text of the American rejoinder
to tne German Government s reply to
tne note following the sinking of the
Lusitama follows: ' ; ;
""The Secretary of State ad interim to
the American Ambassador at Ber
lin: . ;
"Department of State,
"Washington, June 9, 1915.
"American Ambassador, Berlin:
"You are instructed to deliver text-
-ally the following note to the Min
ister of Foreign Affairs:
"In compliance with Your Excel
lency's request I did not fail to trans
it to my government Immediately
upon their recipt your .prte of May
28 in renlv tr mv rnto rf Jnv 1K and
jour supplementary noter of June 1,
.reached by the Imperial Government
concerning the attacks on the Ameri
can steamers Cushing and Gulfllght
I. am now instructed by my Govern
ment to communicate the following
in reply: . ' '
'The Government of the United
States notes with gratification the full
recognition by the " Imperial German
Government in discussing the cases of
the Cushing1 and the Gulflight of the
Principle of the freedom of all Darts
f the open sea toA neutral ships and
the frank willingness of the Imperial
German Government to acknowledge
and meets its liability where .the fact
of attack upon neutral ships' - which
have not been guilty of any, hostile
act' by German aircraft or, vessels of
ar: is satisfactory established and
the Government of the United States
ill in due course lay before the Im
perial German Government, as it re-'
quests, full information , concerning
the attack on the steamer' Cushing.
"With regard to the sinking of the
steamer Falaba, by which an Ameri
can citizen lost his life, the Govern
ment of the United States is surprised
to find the Imperial German' Govern
ment contending that an effort on the
Part of a merchantman to escape cap
ture and secure' assistance alters
he obligation of the officer seeking
to make the capture in respect of
the safety of the lives of those "on
ard the merchantman although the
vessel had ceased her attempt to es
cape when torpedoed. These are not
new circumstances. They have been
a the minds of statesmen and of in
ternational jurists throughout the de
velopment of naval - warfare and the
government of the United States does
not understand that they have . ever
!;een held ! to alter the principles : of
numanity upon which it has insisted:
othmg but actual forcible resistance
continued efforts to v escape by
ght when ordered to stop for the
Purpose of visit on the part of the
UIFIIINDMi
The Lusitama Was
Was Not Armed
Resistance
to Submit Any Evidence
merchantment has ever been held to
forfeit the lives of her passengers or
crew. The government of the United
States, however, does not understand
that the Imperial German government
is seeking In this case to relieve it
self of liability, but only Intends to
set forth the cricumstances which led
the commander of the submarine to
allow himself to be harried into the
course which he took.
"Your excellency's note In discuss
ing the loss of American lives result
ing from the sinking of the steam
ship Lusitanla, adverts at some
length to certain information which
the Imperial German government has
received with regard to the character
and outfit of that vessel and your
excellency expresses the fear that this
information may not have been
brought to the attention of the gov
ernment of the United States. It is
stated in the note that the Lusitanla
was undoubtedly equipped with mask
ed guns, supplied ? with trained gun
ners and , special ammunition, trans
porting troops froni Canada, 'carrying
a cargo not permitted under the laws
of the United States to a vessel "also
carrying passengers and serving in
virtual effect as an auxiliary; to the
naval forces 'of Great Britain. . For
tunately these are matters concern
ing which the government of the Uni
ted States is in a position to give the
Imperial German government official
information. Of the facts alleged in
your excellency note, if true, the
government of the United States
would have been bound to take of
ficial cognizance in performing its
recognized duty as a neutral power
and in enforcing its national laws. It
was its duty to see that the Lusitania
was not armed for offensive action,
that sh was not serving as a trans
port, that she did not carry a , cargo
prohibited by the statutes of ,'the
United States and that, if in fact
she was a naval vessel of Great
Britain, she should ot receive clear
an ce as a. merchantman ; and it p er
formed that duty and enforced its
stautes with "scrupulous vigilance
.through its regularly constituted offi
cials. It is able, therefore, to assure
the Imperial German . government
that it has been misinformed. If the
Imperial German government should
deem itself to be in possession of con
vincing ' evidence that the officials . of
the government of the United States
did not perform these duties with
thoroughness the government of the
United States sincerely hopes that it
will submit that evidence for consid
eration. s
"Whatever may be the contentions
of the Imperial German government
regarding "the carriage of contraband
of war on board the Lusitania or
regarding the explosion of that mate
rial by the torpedo it need only be said
that in the view of this government
these contentions 'are irrelevant to
the question of the legality of the
methods used by the German naval
uathorities in sinking the vessel.
"But' the sinking of passenger ships
Involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any spe
cial circumstances of detail that may
be thought to affect the cases, princi
ples which lift It, as the Imperial Ger
man government -will no doubt be
quick to recognize and acknowledge,
out of the class of ordinary subjects
of diplomatic discussion or. of interna
tional controversy. Whatever be the
other, facts regarding the Lusitania,
the principal fact is . that a great
steamer, primarily, and chiefly a con
veyance for" passengersand carrying
more" than a thousand souls who had
no part or lot in the conduct of the
war, was torpedoed and sunk without
so much as a challenge or a warning,
and that men, - women and childrenH
were sent to their death in circum
stances unparalleled in modem war
fare. Thee fact that more than one
hundred -American citizens were
among those who perished made it the
duty of the government of the United
States to speak of these things and
once more, with solemn emphasis, to
call the attention of the Imperial Ger
man government to the grave respon
sibility which the government of the
United States conceives that it has
nicurred in this tragic - occurrence,
and to the indisputable principle upon
which that responsibility rests. The
government of the United States is
contending for something much great
er than mere rights of property or
privileges of commerce, tt is con
tending for nothing less high and sac
red than the rights of humanity, which
every government honors" itself In re
spectlng and which no government
is justified in resigning on behalf of
those under its care and authority.
Only her actual resistance to cap
ture or refusal to stop ; when ordered
to do so for the purpose of visit could
have afforded the commander of the
submarine any Justification for so
much as putting the lives of those on
board the ship in jeopardy. This prin
ciple the government of the United
States understands the explicit in
structions issued on August 3, 1914 by
the Imperial German admiralty to" its
commanders at sea to have recogniz
ed and embodied, as do the naval codes
of all other nations, and upon it every
traveler and seaman had & right to
depend. It is upon this principle of
humnity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States must stand.
"The government of the United
States is happy to observe that Your
Excellency's note closes with the in-
tlmatlon .that the Imperial German
Government -la willing, now as before.
tQ accept the good offices 4 of the Uni
ed States In an attempt to come to ah
understanding with-the government of
Great Britain by which' the . character
and conditions of the war upon the
sea may be changed. The Govern
ment of the United States would con
sider it a privilege thus to serve its
friends and the world. It stands ready
at any time to convey to either vJov
ernment any intimation or suggestion
the other may be willing to have it
convey and cordially invites the Tm
perial German Government to make
use of its services in this way at its
convenience. The whole world is con
cerned in anything that may bring
about even a partial accommodation
of interests or in any way mitigate
the terrors of the pr-sent distressing
conflict.
"In the meantime, whatever, ar
rangement may happily be made be
tween the parties to the war and
whatever may in the opinion of thi
Imperial German Government have
been the provocation or the circum
stantial justification for the past acts
of its commanders at sea, the Gov
ernment -of the United Statas confi
dently looks to see the - justice and
humanity of the-Government of Ger
many vindicated in all cases" where
Americans have been wronged or
their rights as neutrals invaded.
The Government of the United
States therefore ivery , earnestly and
very solemnly renews the represen
tations of its note transmitted to the
Imperial German Government on the
fifteenth of May, and relies in tTieso
representations upon the principles
of humanity, the universally "eeos
nlzed understandings of international
law and the ancient freindship of the
German Nation. '. - : :
"The Government of the United
States cannot -admit that the proc
lamation Af a war zone' from which
neutral ships have been warned to
keep away may be made to" operate
as in any ; degree an abbrevation of
the rights either of American, ship
masters or of American citizens
bound on lawful errands as passen
gers on merchant ships of belligerent
nationality. It does not understand
the Imperial German Government to
question those-rights. 'It understands
it, also, to accept as established be
yond question the principle that the
lives of non-combatants ' cannot law
fully or rightfully be put in jeopardy
by the capture or destruction of an
unresisting merchantman, and to rec
ognize the obligation to take sufficient
precaution to ascertain whether a sus
pected merchantman is In. fact of be
ligerent nationality or is in, fact carry
ing 'contraband of war under a neutral
flag. The Government of the United
States therefore deems It reasonable
to expect that, it will adopt the meas
ures necessary to put these principles
into practice in respect of the safe
garding of American lives and Ameri
can ships and asks for assurances
that this will be done. ,
(Signed) : "ROBERT 4 LANSING,
"Secretary of State Ad Interim."
BRYAN RESIGNS FROM
j PRESIDENT'S CABINET;
i SPECTACULAR CAREER
Iff? Born, Salem, 111., March 19. '
1881 Graduated, Illinois College, Jack-
sonville, as r' valedictorian. ,
I Graduated, Union, College of Law,
, Chicago, and began practice of law
aJ Jacksonville, 11L -
1884 Married Mary E.' Baird,- at Perry,
-lien ll" Get. 1. ;:
7faI,Pened lawj office in Lincoln, .Neb.
J8l Llected to, Congress from First Ne
?e - braska district. .
J.S34 Nomination in Democratic cbnven-
. tion. for United States senator, but
; defeated.
1895 Became editor of the Omaha World--Herald.
1896 Delegateto Democratic National
Convention, if wrote silver plank,
made notable speech and was nomi
r'' y-; nated for president; in election, re
; . ceived 176 felectroal votes against
: 271 for Mckinley. .. '
1897 Began career as public lecturer,
- which he has since continued and
through which he has amassed a
i o -' fortune. J t5!r ." ''
,1898 Raised regiment of volunteer Iri
j 1 . fantry -for war against. Spain, be-
,i9uu Again became Democratic nominee
i: for president, on platform of antl- 1
, ' imperialism; received 155 electoral
votes against 292 for McKinley.
1901 Established s weekly political pe-
f riodical and identified himself with
. Chautauqua platform work.
1906 Made extensive tour of the world.
1908 Nominated-;by the Democratic Na
tional convfention in Denver as can
didate for president, v -
1913 Appointed ecfetary of State by
President Wilson. - - A
1915 Resigns . the premiership of the
Cabinet' i .- -. .-
Washington. William Jennings
Bryan, three tmes Democratic can
didate for. the presidency of the Uni-'
ted States,, and author of nearly thir
ty peace treaties has resigned as Sec
retary of State President Wilson ac
cepted the resignation. - , ,
Secretary Bryan's letter of resig
nation was as follows: v -
"My Dear MrlPersident:
; "It is wlthvincere regret that I
have reached 'the conclusion that I
jshould. return to you the commission
of secretary of state with which you
honored me at fjhe beginning of your
administration, ..,-; V
"Obedient tofiyour sense of duty
and actuated hjf . the highestmotlveSr4-
you ; have prepared for transmission
Xo the German-government a note , in
which I cannots join jwithout violating
-what!.'' deem to be an obligation to
my country and the issue Involved Jvs
of such moment :that to remain a
mpitihpr of thil raWnfitwrmld b as
unfair to you ' js it would be to tthe
cause which is ' nearest my heart,
namely, he prevention of war.
"I, therefore, respectfully tender my
resignation, totake effect wlien the
note is sent, .unless you prefer an
earlier hour. Alike desirous of reach
ing a peaceful solution of the problems
arising out of the use of submarines
against merchantmen, -we find our
selves differingv irreconcilably as to
the methods -which should be em
ployed. '
"It falls to your lot to speak official
ly for the nation; I consider it to be
none the less my duty -to endeavor
as a private citizen to promote the end
which you have in view by means
hich you do f hot feel at liberty to
"In severing, the intimate and pleas
ant relations which have existed be
tween us during the past two years.
permit me to 1 acknowledge the pro
found satisfaction which it has given
me to bft associated with you in the
lm portan t work which has come " be
fore the statel department, and tc
thank you for the courtesies extended.
"With the : jbeartiest good wishes
for your personal welfare and for the
success of your administration, I am
my dear Mr. President, r .
"Very" truly yours,-
(Signed) 1 "W. J. BRYAN."
The president's letter to Mr. Bryar
wras as followsK; .
uMy Dear Mri Bryan: - i
"I accept your resignation only be
cause vou insist upon its acceptance;
and I -accent it with much more than
deep regret, with feeling of personal
sorrow. Our two years of close as so-
riatinn havft been very delightful tc
me.- Our judgments have accorded in
practically e vjry matter of , official
duty and : of public policy, until now;
your support of the " work and pur
poses of the administration ; has been
generous and ijayol - beyond praise;
your devotion ! to the duties of your
great office ; aftd . your eagerness tc,
take advantagf of every great oppor
tunity for service it offered has been
an example to the rest of us; you have
earned our affectionate admiration and
friendship. -Even now we are not
separated in fe object we seek, but
only in the method by which; we seek
It. ;r:--r----v".;:
"It is for thse reasons my feelings
about your, retirement from the secre
trayship of stte goes so much deepei
than resrret. ;ii sincerely deplore it.
Our objects aije . the same, and T we
miP-ht tct tuirsue tSem together.' 1
yield to your deslr only because I
must and i wish; to bid you Godspeed
in the -parting.! We shall-continue to
work for the "same causes even wner
we do not work In the same way.
"Withffectionate regard,
O Sincerely yours, .
"WOODROW WILSON."
GLAIRS OF COTTON
EXPORTERS HEARD
SETTLEMENT AND PAYM ENT
MAY BE lADE AT THE NEW
. YORK CONSULATE. - -
WILL MOYE MUCH FASTEB
New Arranaement is Exoected 'to
Speed Up Settlement. Talk of
Making . Cotton Contraband.
Washington. Notice was givenby
the British Embassy that ; authority
had been granted for the settlement
and payment at the Embassy . here
andiat the Consulate General in New
York of the claims of American ex
porters on account of detentions and
appropriation of cotton. I . h
This arrangement will affect many
shippers whose cargoes consigned, to
neutral countries of Europe, have been
Seized under the British order-in-
council. It is expected to facilitate
settlement, since proofs of ownership
and destination can be submitted and
verified much more quickly in , the
United States than in British ports.
It was said that progress was ' be
ing made on negotiations looking to
another extension of the time allow
ed by the British Government for the
filing of evidence that American-own
ed goods of German origin awaiting
shipment to; the United States from
neutral countries was bought before
March 1 last This time expired sev
eral days ago.
' Plans have been broached for the
separation of goods of unquestioned
exemption from seizure from other
shipments - of . doubtful character, and
if these can be prelected, it is believ
ed that the British authorities at least
will consent' to the free movement of
the former without being v subject to
consideration by the prize courts.
Early in. the war the British Gov
ernment hadMn contemplation: the
declaration of cotton as absolute: con
traband, because it is the basis of
smokeless powder , and gun cotton.
Upon urgent representations by the
United States that such adeclaration
would paralyze an American . export
trade in this staple worth about ?800,
000,000, Great Britain t withheld the
threatened action.
Suggests Tagle For Head.
Washington. Manuel Vasquez Ta
gle, minister of justice in the cabinet
of Madero since Huerta's coup in
February, 1913 virtually has been
agreed on by leaders of the Villa-Zap
ata coalition for the provisional pres
idency should ah agreement with the
Carranza faction . be possible. Tagle
was the only cabinet minister who
did not resign when "Huerta over-'
threw the Madero administration. He
left Mexico City 'then and since has
lived in the United States. .General
Villa's peace overtures to General
Carranza have borne no fruit but such
information as has reached here from
Vera Cruz indicates that - the first
. . .- .... . . .
cnier is unwilling to enter into comer
ehces withhls adversaries, insisting
that his forces soon will obtain a mill
tary supremacy which will merit rec
ognition.
Germany. Is Pleased With' Note.
Berlin," by. wireless , to Sayvflle.
Among the items given out by the
Overseas Agency is the following:
."Political circles and the 'press gen
erally are pleased with the second
American. noi concerning the; Lusi
tania incident. It is not an ultima
tum and it contains no sharp expres
sions as had been predicted. On the
contrary, it leaves the way open to
a friendly discussion and the reach
ing of an understanding satisfactory
to both sides. Especially pleasing Is
the offer to mediate between Germany
and Great Britain." , '
Hearing on Sinking of Lusitania.
London. Fifty survivors of the
Lusitania disaster .together with rela
tives of passengers who lost their lives
and a force of privately "retained .law
yers, attended the opening session of
the board -; of trade inquiry into the
destruction of the liner whose sinking
by a German submarine May 7 caused
a loss of more than 1,100 lives.
Germans are Making Progress.
- London.- The Austro-German rush
in Galicia is on again. , Both Berlin and
Vienna claim progress along virtually
the entire south-eastern front - and
Lemberg .again appears to be in dan
ger. Mosciska, east of Przemysl, has
been captured by the Austro-Germans
and according to the German' conten
tion 1 the Russians 'are - falling ; back
south of . the railroad connecting
Przemysl and Lemberg. All Russians
counter-attacks have been repulsed
with gains for the Teutons from a
poltn north of Przemysl .
GREAT BATTLE Oil
F
GERMANY CLAIMS TO HAVE TAK-
. EN MANY RUSSIAN PRISON- '
ERS IN ADVANCE.
SUBMARINES STILL ACTIVE
The French Troops Are Still Ham
mering Away at The German Posi
tions. British Freighter Sunk.
London. Germany fblaims another
decided success along the Eastern line. :
Northwest of Mosciseka, in. the regioa
of Sieniawa, the German report said
that" along a line extending over 43
miles the entire positions of the Rus
sians were taken and that 16,000 pris
oners fell into their hands. The Rus
sian official report, however, ? only
mentioned the locality where this ac
tion is said to nave taicen place m &
paragraph - declarng the Austro-Ger
mans, after heavy losses in the re
gion of Mosciaka. recentlv did not tg-
sume the. offensive. - "
According to Petrograd, the Aus-
rtro-Germans again have crossed the
Dniester, where a briliant - cavalry
charge at Zale Szczky resulted in a
local Russian success, but no claim la
made that the; invaders were pushed
back across the river.' A crossing of
the river at this place may not be a
serious affair for the Russians as it is
remote from Lemberg and an, advance
from it might expose "the Austro-German.
flank.:"- '-,-"":; -" ' "iV: -
In v the ; West ' the French continue
their battering tactics against formid
able German positions, with some as
sistance from the Belgians,? who have
thrown a battalion across the Yser to
the east bank, where, south of the Dix
mu(e Railway bridge they destroyed
a German blockhouse. They 'clalm to
tiaye retained, this position against
German counter-attacks, ' 1 ,
. : Berlin claims the ; French suffered
a sever e-defeat:o"n ithe frontier north,
of Souchez'and Paris admits the loss
of German trenches previously cap
tured ki that section. 4 "
German submarines" accounted for
another big British freight ' steamer,
the Hopemount, of 3,300 tons, - being
The crew was saved.'- Another British
steamer, the Arndale, of 3,583 tons,
struck a mine in the White Sea and
sank 'while bound for Archangel. The
French schooner Diamant also, . has
torpedoed by a German submarine off
Pendine, Wales. - : y-
: Charge Tampering With Witnesses.
' AnnaiwiHs. Mil Avfrtiial flnarva
tampering with the evidence of wit
nesses before the court of inquiry, in
vestigating the Naval Academy, exami
nations, was made against Admiral
Fullm, superintendent of the Academy, '
by Congressman James Hay, counsel
for seven of the midshipmen defend
ants; Hay said that the evidence of
midshipmen that they have been tak
en to the office of the superintends
of the Academy and there that either
the superintendent or his aide had
told them, that if they took a certain
position in this case what would hap
pen to them,", indicated tampering
with the evidence of the witnesses. .
Tests ofSubmarlne. -
Washington, June 14. Tests of the
navy's latest-device for purifying air
In submarines, evolved, after Hhree
years of - experiment, are being con
ducted on the submarine D-l at New
port, ;'R. I. If the device fulfills ex
pectations it will make conditions
aboard submarines when submerged
much , more, comfortable, and? at the
same time increase the length of time
the little v vessels may remain under
-water. y. ' - ..' -.' '.
Wip Paptv ! i lf apIaii. .
Athens, via 'Paris. The latest re
turns from the general elections while
cbnflrming"the success of the Venize
los party are not yet definite enough to
Indicate the exact majority. - Government!-
candidates ; in Macedonia were
ectd. 'the partisans of M. Gounaris,
the present " premier, asserts that they
have elected 120. out of 316 deputies.
,i : Effort Made to Unite Forces.
Washington. The United States
was formally notified by General Vil
la on , behalf , of the Mexican cctaven
tion forces that he had telegraphed
General Carranza urging a conference
for .the restoration of peace in Mexico.
This. step"is the first development re-,
suiting from President Wilson's warn
ing to all Mexican factions that unless
they came to an agreement 'among
themselves some other means would
be! employed by the United ; 'states
to relieve the' suffering population
from further devastations. 1
EASTERN
T