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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1916)
THE RKK: OMAHA. THPluSpAY. APRIL '20, 1016. Full Text of President Wilson s Note to Germany; Last Word in Subsea Controversy WASHINGTON, April 1.-The full text f the American note to Germany fol low: l "You are instructed to deliver to th ecretary of foreign affairs a communi cation reading a follows: "I did not fall to tranamlt Immediately by telegraph to my government your ex cellency's note of the 10th Instant In re gard to certain attacks by German sub marine, and particularly In regard to the disastrous explosion which on March 24 last wrecked the French steamer 8us hfx In the English channel, I have now the honor to deliver, under Instructions from my government, the following re ply to your excellency: "Information now In the possession of the government of the United States fully establishes the fact In the case of the 8ux and the Inferences which my government has drawn from that Infor mation, it regards as confirmed by the circumstances set forth In your excel lency's nola of the loth Instant. On the 54th ft Msrch, 1!I, at about 5 50 o'clock In (he afternoon, the unarmed steamer flussex, with 325 or more passengers on board, among whom were a number of American cttlsens, was torpedoed while crossing from Follcston to plepps, The Sussex had never been armed; was a vessel known to be habitually used only for the conveyance of passengers across the English channel, and wss following the route taken by troopships or supply ships. About eighty of Its passengers, noncombatants of all ages and sexes, In cluiTng citizen of the I'nlted States, went killed or Injured. A careful, detailed and acrupulously Impartial Investigation by naval and military officers of the United State has conclusively established the fact that the Sussex was torpedoed wkh put warning or summons to surrender, and that the torpedo by which It was struck was of German manufacture. In the view of the government of the United Mates these facts, from the first, made the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a German submarine unavoidable. It now consider that conclusion aubstan- Hated by the statements of your excel lency's note. A full statement of tho fact upon which the government of the United Mate ho based Its conclusion Is Inclosed. fierniMn Position Challenged. "The government of the United States, after having given careful consideration to the not of the Imperial government on April 10, regrets to state that the Im pression made upon It by the statements and proposals contained In that note Is that the Imperial government hss failed to appreciate the gravity of the situation which has resulted, not alone from the attack on the Sussex, but from the whole mothod end character of submarine war fare, as disclosed by the unrestrained practice of the commanders of German undersea craft during the last twelve month and more In the Indiscriminate destruction of merchant vessels of all sorts, nationalities and destinations. If the sinking of the Sussex had been an Isolated ense the government of the United States might find It possible to hope that the officer who was responsi ble for that act hud willfully violated his order and had been criminally neg ligent In taking none of the precautions they prescribed, and that the ends of Jus tice might be sstisfled by Imposing upon him an adequate punishment, coupled with t formal disavowal of tho act and payment of a suitable Indemnity by the Imperial government. Hut, though the attack upon tho Sussex wa manifestly Indefensible and caused a loss of life so tragical os to make It stand forth as f,no of the most terrible examples of Hhe Inhumanity of stihmsrino warfare a the commander of Orman vessels are con ducting It, it unhappily doe ftot gland, alone, Other Violation of Law. "On the contrary the government of the United States la forced by recent event to conclude that It I only one Instance, though one of the most extreme and most distressing Instances of the deliberate method and spirit of Indiscrim inate destruction of merchant vessel of all sorts, nationalities and destinations which have become more and more un mistakable as to the activity of German undersea vessels of war ha in recent mnnths been quickened and extended. The imperial government will recall thou when, In February, 1013, it an nounced Its intention of treating the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland ta embraced within the seat of nr and of destroying all merchant ships o nccl by Its enemies that might be found within that if re of danger, and -A tvnied nil vessel neutral as well as hel llgeri'iit. to keep out of the waters thus proscribed, or to enter them at their peril, the government of the United States earnestly protested. It took the position tlmt such policy could not be ptirsilul without constant gross and pal pable violation of the accepted law of nations, particularly If Nutmiarine craft were to he omnloyid as its Instruments. Inasiiiiili as Hi rule prescribed by that law, riles founded on the prln-iplees) of humanity and established for the protec tion o( the lives of nonenmbstsnts at M, could not in the nsturs of the rise h nbserxed bv such vesin-ls. It based lis proieit on the ground mat persona of neutral nationality and vessels of neutral enrhlp unwld be exposed to extreme ami intolerable rliks and that no rliiht to lions any part of the high ' could t.i fully ! Mtte hy ih Imperial gov ernment In the liri iiinslam mn exist ing, The Ian of nations In llieai matters opon Melt (he United Slates baae.t that prole! I no! of rerent o inm er founded Mpn nrtv Sit'ltrxry rtn tples set tip I y eoeienllon It la t.xnl, on the run ti ar. iii"n manifest pHic Iplea ef hn naollr au-l hua loo bean rathliail l't tle apirmst and lx the t xpeva a n 1(1 of 1:1 fl'l II, ll ' III 'lbs tintvrtal ertalnmt, titauh. i. tt.l.nir iiit. -I In iflUi nut h iHih, v nn,ii.e, r -rraiiiff Iba hp iii tit ts,n io v . e.! at ant rata to h ,nal if. ' .! l- !! i. .! ! mltiHH'iol I the Untl'i- !!' ahl- H It (at -! to H pfHimmlr( ef Its ih II 4!l,il 0 I I.IIH ti OV r(tOhM f i':. i,;' I '' M-l It .' lata ion ,,. ..ii. S.i i 1 1 .tw, Ka at l .1 iiuiia So t t f il lti t,f a . ,,-;,fra I a i t I'ooaliK . lxtal.it in f 4 . to .'f I ! l-'ii j i.f . ,., . ,1- aiitapa alol .OMVhf f lis ftl.ton, lai ii:-a aouo ,h J aiwl tatta H .) it 111 ft SwIaiHH ft j ( I t t'l ' I I l I Mlij' " K i iik f tha lin i -,,,1,1 m-i.i.i iai Sat tar-, p't li. i t f H i'". a) I,., ii- . ahi.lt l-.a a ' U -.n o I j e . i Wt,i r. , if i'-i it- voif-aitt . - a I o it it. ia i ai t - a ' ' ui.. as ll t t t e I a I l I l i av I a h I atao lis t 4 I ' 4 M , ' ' l IM .. t m .. i vf the United states that at least passen ger ships would not be thus dealt with, and yet It haa repeatedly permitted its undersea commanders to disregard those sssurances with entire Impunity. As re ccntly a February last It gave notice that It would regard all armed merchant men owned by Its enemies as part of the naval force of It adversaries and deal with Jhem a with men-of-war, thus, at leaat by Implication, pledging Itself to give warning to vessel which were not srmed and to accord security of life to their passengera and crews; but even this limitation the submarine conmmndcrs have recklessly Ignored. fxealral V raaela Uratro) eil, "Vessels of neutral ownership, even vessels of neutral ownership bound from neutral port to neutral port, have been destroyed along with vessels of belligerent ownership In constsntly Increasing number. Sometimes the mer chantmen have been warned and sum moned to surrender before being fired on or torpedoed; sometimes the passen gers and crew have been vouchsafed the poor ec,urlty of being allowed to take to the chip' boat before the ship wa ent to the bottom. But again and again no warning ha been given, no es cape even to tha ship's boat allowed to those on board. Great liners like the Lusltanla and Arabia and mere passen ger boat like the Sussex have been at tacked without a moment's warning, often before they have even become aware thst they were in the presence of an armed ship of the enemy, and the live of noncombatanta, passenger and crew have been destroyed wholesalle, and In a manner which the government of the United State cannot but regard a wanton and without the slightest color of justification. No limit of any kind ha In fact been set to thefr Indiscrim inate pursuit and destruction of mer chantmen of all kind and nationality within th water which the Imperial government ha chosen to designate as lying within the seat of war. The roll of all American who have lost their live upon ship thu attacked and de stroyed ha grown month by month un til the ominous toll ha mounted Into the hundred, , t United Stale Most Patient. "Th government of the United State ha been very patient. At every (tags of this distressing experience of tragedy after tragedy it ha sought to be gov erned by the mot thoughtful considera tion of the extraordinary circumstsnces of the unprecedented war and to be guided by sentiment of very genuine friendship for the people and government of Germany. It haa accepted the auccea slve explanation and assurance of the Imperial government as of course given In entire sincerity and good fnlth and ha hoped even agalnat hope that It would prove to be possible for the Imperial gov ernment so to order and control the act of It naval commander a to aquare its policy with the recognized principle of humanity a embodied in the law of na tion. It hss made every allowance for unprecedented condition and ha been willing to wait until the fact became unmistakable and were susceptible of only one Interpretation. It now owe It to a Just regard for It own right to ssy to th Imperial government that time ha come. It has become painfully evident to It that the position which It took at the very outset 1 Inevitable; namely, the use of submarine for the destruction of an enemy' commerce, Is, of necessity, because of the very character of the ves sel employed and the very method of attack which their employment of course involve, utterly Incompatible with the principle of humanity, the long-established and Incontrovertible right of neu tral and the sacred Immunitlea of non combatants. Isane I p to Germany. "If It i (till the purpose of the Imperial government to prosecute rclcntleai and Indiscriminate warfare against vessels of commerce by the use of submarines with out regard to what the, government of the United State must consider the sacred and Indisputable rules of Inter national law and the unlversilly recog nized dictate of humanity, the govern ment of the United States Is at lust forced to the conclusion that there is but one course It can pursue. Unless the im perial government should now Immedi ately declare and effect an abandonment of It present methods of submarine war fare against passenger and freight carry ing vessels, the government of the United Htates can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relation with the l.ermnn empire altogether. This action the gov ernment of the United Htnlos contem plates with the greatest reluctance, but feela constrained to take In behalf of humanity and the rights of neutral na tions." Th appendix to the note under the cap tion, 'Statement of facts In Sussex ens accompanying note to German govern ment of April IS, UiH." follows; "The French channel steamer Siaarx, m.iloyed regularly In passenger sen Ire between th porta of Kolkatnne, Fin land, and I'leppe, Ijfrance, as It hss been for vears (I'rei rli (orelan office) lfi ; Folaatone for IHer.Pe at 1 D. m. March i ih . conclusion la Irreslt :). Ula. with S or mora paaaenger, and I lhl" "A1 "'" ""fi-'ilo was launched with rrew of fifty three men (declaration 1 m,t "''" submarlnn. hi.-h of t aptaln Mouffrtt. Hear Adi.ilraiVra j" ''"" at the time of l-e atu k .els teporu. The r fugrrs, among ind ""-ih the surface stlcl shorn were about tweut) fiv American i Pnl'"- ntlian ttelegram London mliy. j The conclusion thus reaihed from the Msrtli i and I aria embassy, Man h : evidence lib affolaill being Uw.jh, f port the helm and stop the starboard en gine (declaration of Captain Mouffrtt), the purpose being to swing tho vessel to starboard so as to dodge the torpedo by allowing It to pass along the port bow on a line converging with the al tered course of the steamer. Slrlkea the Hull. "Before, however, the vessel could be tinned far enough to avoid crossing the course of the torpedo, the latter struck tho hull at an angle a short distance forward of the bridge, exploded, de stroyed the entire forward part of the steamer as far back as the first water tight bulkhead, carried away tho fore mast with the wireless antennae and killed or Injured about eighty of the per sons on hosrd. (Declaration of Captain Mouffrtt; report of Hear Admiral Uras aett; deposition of Henry 8. Beer.) At the time no other vessel wss In sight, (Affidavit of Samuel F. Bemls, T. W. Culbertson, John II, Mearley and others.) "Tho approach of the torpedo wat wit nessed by several other persons on the vessel. (Affidavit of Samuel V. Bemls, Henry H. Deer and GeUrnde W, Warren.) "On of these, an American cltUen named Henry 8. Ileer, waa leaning on the port rail about ten feet behind the bridge and gazing seaward when ha saw Ihe approaching torpedo about 100 yard away and exclaimed to his wife companion: 'A torpedo!' Immediately following hi exclamation the missile struck the vessel. (Depositions of llenrjr 8, llcer and Mrs, Henry H. Beer.) Htatrmenl of Knalneer. "In further corroboration of the faot that the captain saw the torpedo coming toward the vessel Is the sworn atatcment of the engineer on duty that the order to port the helm and to stop tha (tar board engine wa received and obeyed, (Report of Admiral Grassett), No rea sonable explanation can be given of thla unusual order than that the captain saw something which ctused him to chang his course sharply to starboard. "In addition to thla evidence, which would In Itself appear to be conclusive that the agent of destruction wa a torpedo, I that of Lieutenant Smith, United State navy,- attached to the American embassy at I'aris, who, accom panied by Major Ivogan, United State rmy, of the embassy, went to Boulogne, Inspected the hull of the Sussex and personally found beneath the mass of water soaked debris of the wreck fifteen pieces of metal, which they retained In their possession, a they did not bellev tho piece formed part of the vessel. "Tha Inspection of the hull disclosed that the vessel waa wrecked by an ex ternal explosion, the boiler being Intact, and that a short distance forward of the bridge wa a large dent, showing that the vessel had received a heavy blow, the dint of the Impact being from abaft the beam along a line at an acute angle with the keel of the vessel. (Report of Lieutenant Smith, cabled April 1). This evidence coincide with and corroborates tho statement that the vessel wa wing ing to starboard and away from the torpedo when struck. Of Different Hlse. "Th piece of metal which th Amer ican officers had collected, were com pared by Lieutenant Smith, Lieutenant Commander Sayle and Major !,ogan with mince and plan of mines In po session of the Krenrh naval authorities at Boulogne, Rochefort and Toulon, and our naval authorities st Portsmouth, These officers are positive In their opln Ion that these pieces of metal were not of a mine. (Report of Lieutenant Smith, cabled April 2.) "Among these fifteen pleres of metsl were two crew bolt showing the ef fects of an explosion, which were stamped with a 'K' and W on the face of the head of one and 'K and ' on the faces of the head of the other. On ex amlnlng torpedoes In possession of the French naval authorities at Toulon, and of the Kngllsn naval authorities at Portsmouth, the American officers found that Identical screw with the letter 'K end a number were employed to fasten the 'war' head 'Kopf to tho air chain ber. (Lieutenant Bmoth'a reports, cabled April 2, t and 13.) Pieces re Compared. The screws used in French and Kng llsh torpedoes have no marking and are of a allghtly different size, (same re ports) furthermore the American officers were able by comparison and close examination to positively Identify and locate all the remaining-thirteen pieces of metal as parts of a German torpedo follows: "Fragment three, part of Inner seat of water relief valve of engine valve, Fragments four sml five, punto bands of engine room rasing Frafinentt six to ten, Inclusive, and twelve, parts of engine cylinders, Fragments, eleven, thirteen, fourteen snd fifteen, psrts of steel wsrhesd stl bearing the distinctive red paint common to German tortiedo warheads, (Report of Lieutenant Hnillh, cabled April K.I "In view of these authenticated facts there rsn be no resaonsble doubt, but thst the Musses wss torieilnr and that the torpedo was of German nisnufa, ture As no vessel was seen by sny person the Sussex saw the sulniinrlnr. though the weather wss fine. "(F.) No warning wss given nor no at tempt to give one, "Department's comment: The evidence collected show affirmatively no wsrnlng waa given. "(F) A sketch by the submarine com mander of the steamer which he tor pedoed does not sgren with a photograph of the Sussex In the IaiikIoii Graphic. "Departmetit'a comment: This sketch apparently was made from memory of an observation of the vessel through a perincepo. As the only differences noted by Ihe commander who relied on bis memory were the positions of the smoke stack and the shape of the stern, It Is to be presumed the vessel were similar In other respects. "(Gi No other German submarine on that day altackrd steamer In t tin t lo cality. "Department's comment; As no vessel Is reported to hae been torpedoed with out warning by a sulmnrgcd submarine other than tho Sussex, It la beyond dls cusslon thst that vessel was torfedocd by the submarine whoso rnmmrtnder Is remarked on In the note of April !." Dr. Davis' Prize Cow May Beat State Eecord for Butter Though he in not snying a word about II, Dr. II. B. Davis lias a row thst If she lives the summer Ihiougn will be worth her weight In gold. Jn fmi Hunt now Ihe best butler season of th" cMr hss not arrivedshe Is adding something like II. 25 per diiy to the doctor's ex chequer, The Dr. Davis cow In uui'stlon Is a tlolstcln-Frieslsn and Is one of a large herd on the doctor' Frh slum! farm, near Omaha. A seven-day record shows Hint thl particular cow produced W7.4 pounds of milk and 9)04 pounds of butter. If she keeps tip the psce that she hns set In ten dsye more she will have passed the state record, which Is UN pound of butter In thirty days. By Ih way, the doctor's Hotsleln Is the second row In Nihrnska that has ever given sufficient milk In seven duy to produce thirty pounds of butter. Typhus Germs Arc Found in Blood of Mrs.A.W.Waite GRAND R.M'IDH. Mich., April 1t.-Ac-cording to announcement made here to night typhus germs have been found in the blood of Mrs. Arthur Warren Walte. wife of the ilnitlsl awaiting trial in New York for the murder of his father In law, John K. I'ei k of Grand IlapMa. Mrs, Walte haa gone to a sanitarium for treat ment. Her condition, however, Is not considered serious. During the illness of Mrs. Walls' parents In New York, according to a story credited to Mrs. Wslte, her husband furnished, not only for br, bi t slo for her pnrenta, an atomizer containing a solution with which she sprayed her throat, This treatment, Dr. Walte said, was to render her Immune from colds. Mr. and Mrs. Peck also used Ihe same solution, It waa said. It la believed this solution waa the vehicle for the admin istration of rtrsdly germs. CHARGE FILED AGAINST SHREDDED WHEAT COMPANY WASHINGTON, April l.The Hhrsddcd Wheat company of Niagara Falls, N. Y.. in charged In a formal complaint Issued today by the federal trade commission ml(h unfair trade methods In the alleged destruction of a competllors business. Tha company Is ehsrged with prevent ing a competitor, the Ross company, from obtaining manufacturing machinery. The chargn is made thst the Shredded Whest company had secret ag'-nta spy on the business of the Ross company, I rlhed railroad employes to disclose the name of person to whom Its competitor was shipping snd Induced wholesalers and Jobbers to csncel orders to tho Itoss company. Fifteen Villistas Face Firing Squad at Chihuahua City KL PASO, April 19. General Gnvira, commander of the Juarez garrison, re ceived a message from General Gutierrez, military governor of Chihuahua, stating that fifteen civilians (oncerned In a VII llslii plot to seize the ( blhuahun garrison were e xecuted by the firing squad today. Over sixty arrests were made last week In connection with the plot. Another dispatch to General Gavira stated that General Luis Jlerrera with a large force of men wa procredlng to I'arral to take rharge of the situation there. An American aeropane encircled Chi huahua City today at an altitude of 3,1X0 feet, but made no landing. All l reported ipib't there. FKiri Rc,tcr Sfy,c mmwn - Better Values DOUGLAS Yankton Mains Commission Form YANKTON, n. t) April t.-(Hpecla Telegram.) t'lly election Tii"diiy re ulted In th city retariilng the com mission form after six years' trial by 2S majority. Tammen defeats Flnnegnn fur the five-year term as commissioner by 110 majority. Ohlmnn, next high man, will run again next Tuesday ngnlnst Rapalee for the short term, and two low men drop out. Tho city is wet by close to 800 majority. s The Quality Blouse Shop 1508-1510 Sooner or Later l You Are Going to Be a Blouse Customer at This Store- WHY NOT SOONER? w K HAVE W'.CKIVKD in tho pnr-t few (kiv.s hundreds of liediilil'ul new (ieortff Uc Cropo, t'lrpo tie ( 'hint mid Novolty iJloiiM'.H, They como in all tho new high bliudcH mid Hniart collar coinhifinlionw. rIli (Hiiccially for tli" Priced from NEW ARRIVALS DAILY PItlCKH MODKRATK. $95 to ere bought ;tor trade. $Q75 v am! Ji, wet ef lateral nationalities and mane of thain womtn snd i-htlilran and I rsrtv half 'f tham ilijecta of neutral lair uHirt of I'oiiiniaii'bM Katies an I I I. ileiaol Hnilth, llrar Adinlial Gra t repo.li, Tha h-iaen rsrilad no r nn.orM (liein filln ffl., trfai of i 'tiittm'tir Hal tea sod l.laoieoant SiiiiiK, sf'ol tills ef mm, an pasaait ,,, t hncr soipM.v , u.,ep siiiiv snd was f"H,i,.,s mi is i,d f,f trat t"iiiita trn,ca ftom Ufrl I roam a I m i i , p.iu.H a liuli jit v utto(!l( H f' ir.au rf; i ! ' T' t'amf ... iit en ia i . . !. ,1 -,: !! -. ..!. ,,, 14 ctr Ural t Mll. t ,(r-ll The itf a a Ma m I (!,- - on:t.ih i-1 It Ha vt t ll' I ! II lla - u. !,., la V, !, 1 v r ."i 1 Diiki mas ' ,t IMiit ii'a fll l-ipi'ia I a ' I ! l,f HI Ilia ttt'i f l lnl( 1 tl rs I hll III '" ,4 t i .,M itu.. fi..ai )h , t va in I""' '' ta wt a (...4 .ai'lalit af ! ti ns H I t'.l l- A ,1 I A ,h I! f,,', 1 " in i i if i i li aas i.f a I I ll .' . !tlat- i.f I pm Mi ,f fu ll in i iUii.i Si ! Hi fun ,i.i n, i .. na n a. a a I i 'a u m In- I I4 .n.f.., , . 4 i . it i. i,i , im.liv.iili i ni'iim f eMart Annul, in rltliena collect,.,) , hn i partment ef Niate, t suitaittlt d by th statement In the nirrial n minimi not of Anl V l' Ai'i-ordtng In ttvise laienvanta (Al a Oerman submarine lor rinl a slasmas anil one half nvl sot lhaaat t.f It.Hlro, a In, I. D'ear tnienl lommmt (he i,.l nf lea li aiarllv In tha ro iri 1 I-h was lakm , tha N , afir asii I i.. a-ai and a' -.1 l a f i,. a f,. n ib pla. . tha ai-ia t i,f ll.i s,i l lln-l ha ail i,n,a i' Tha ana a t a t it ' k p in. I'iMiral ) ,it..an lunt I ', i, ,il i i .,. i,i J i lt , , , al ''I'll tima ul r,.nn.t,, iu ' h in " e-an I ... Tb I '' lhl Hitkn a 1,1 th t ...l, . 't.i'g t, (, ,Hal t-l it,. ,.M. b i...f.ia ef il.a , l i, wn W..-I in IW M , ,.. n I Tha t .,( I . w-.a II l.lk ,a.a. an iii,l,',i i, t.i h "a hh m( .,, , it,. .,,.( ' iHaiiiHiiBi't e..t Ta f ' a . i a,, k. f,, as ti, ii wai.tt-iigM a . ai '''I ta I! .. ,!, ; ( ,),. ' ' K'H !'. t'l-!. .,l,t.:t la I tlva I, t a' iltn.al k,l , , . , ! II a .rfi a af tiva ti. a fflpjjpiflni Aim J085 F. O. D. Detroit HUPMOBILE demonstration won't obligate you to buy, or take murh of your tim But it will SHOW you that multi-cylinder cars at our price do not excell Jiunmobilfi high-gear perform ance, Hupmobile quality or Ilupmobile com fort. Ask about the free coupon service. , j The Ilupmobile is proving particularly at tractive to dealers m Omaha territory this spring. It is selling readily because of the features spoken of above; and dealers have the further advantages of branch facilities, with Omaha as the shipping point. This means quick access to an adequate stock of ears and parts, (let in touch if interested. 6- PASSENORR TOURING CAR U.OS.'i , VEAR-'ROL'ND TOURING CAR $1,225 7- PASSENGFR TOURING CAR 126 YEAR- ROUND COUPE 1,J65 Hupmobilc Co. of Nebraska FACTORY WHOLKPAI.E II RANCH. 2054 Farnam Street, Omaha McShanc Motor Company RETAIL MSTRHIUTORS. 2054 Farnam Street, Omaha i . ... - ., ' a .1 I . l i ,1-1., (;.,,, t.ta f"'Ht an li t I lS I H UH 6 (' 7ft t mark of superior m o tor. car. cert' fee I