'f
The Commoner
vol. xeK NT0. 5
12.
United States has been constantly guided and
restrained by motives of friendship in its pationt
efforts to bring to an amicable settlement the
jcrlticai questions arising from that policy. Ac
cepting tho Imperial government's declaration
of Its abandonment of tho policy which has so
seriously menaced tho good relations between
tho two countries, the government of tho United
States will rely upon a scrupulous execution
henceforth of tho now altered policy of tho Im
perial government, such as will remove tho
principal danger to an Interruption of tho good
relations existing between tho United States and
Germany.
"Tho government of the United feels it neces
sary to state that it takes It for granted that
tho Imperial German government does- not in
tend to Imply that the maintenance of its newly
announced policy is in any way contingent upon
tho course or rosult of diplomatic negotiations
between the government of tho United States
and any other belligerent notwithstanding the
fact that certain passages in tho Imperial gov
ernment's note of tho 4th Inst, might appear to
bo susceptible of that construction. In order,
however, to avoid any possiblo misunderstand
ing, tho government of the Unitod States notifies
tho Imperial government that It can not for a
moment entertain, much less discuss, a sugges
tion that respect by the German naval authori
ties for the rights of citlzons of the United
States upon tho high seas should in any way or
In the sMghtest degree be made contingent upon
tho conduct of any other government affecting
,tho rights of noutrals and non-combatants. Re
sponsibility In such matters Is single, not joint;
absolute, not relative."
TEXT OF GERMAN NOTE ON SUSSEX
A Washington, D. CM dispatch, dated May 11,
says: The Gorman ncrto admitting that a German
submarine torpedoed the channel steamship Sus
sex In violation of as3iiranccs given tho United
Statos, expressing rogret for tho occurrence, an
nouncing that tho U-boat commander had boon
"appropr'atcly punished," and declaring a read
iness to pay adequate Indemnity to Americans,
was rocolvcd at the state department yesterday.
Tho text Is as follows:
"Supplementing his note of tho fourth instant,
concerning tho conduct of tho Gorman sub
marine warfare, (ho undersigned has the honor
to inform his excolloncy, tho American ambas
sador, Mr. James "VV. Gerard, that tho further
investigation made by the Gorman naval author
ities concerned, in regard to tho French steam
ship Sussex, on tho basis of the Amorlcan ma
terial, has been concluded in the meantime.
FORMER THEORY DROPPED
"In conformity with tho result of this investi
gation the assumption expressed in the note of
tho undersigned of tho tenth ultimo, that the
damage of the Sussex was to be traced back to
a cause other than tho attack of a German sub
marine, can not bo maintained.
"Such an assumption had to bo arrived at with
certainty from tho material in tho possession of
tho German government for itself and without
further knowledge of tho circumstances con
nected with the torpedoing of tho Sussex, the
more so as apart from tho points enumerated in
tho note of tho tenth ultimo, tho following facts
had come to tho attention of admiralty staff of
tho navy, through relfablo information: March
24, 1916, approximately at tho same time as the
Sussex, an auxiliary warship loft the port of
Folkstono with a largo transport of British in
fantry on board; on the same day a transport
steamer was torpedoed in tho channel; a few
minutes preceding the explosion of the Sussex
she had passed through a mas3 of shipwreckajre
which created tho impression that a ship had
sunk at that Bpot shortly before.
AMERICAN PROOF
"All these facts justified tho conclusion that
the tonly case of torpedoing which could be con
sidered under tho circumstances had struck the
British war vessel, whereas tho Sussex had met
jwrlth an accident in some other way.
"However, on tho basis of tho American ma
terial, the German government can not with
hold its conviction that tho ship torpedoed by
the sGerman submarine is in fact identical with
the Sussex for in accordance with this material
the.'place, the time and the effect of tho explo
jion by which tho Sussex was damaged, m
in the essential details with the statement! of
tho German commander, so that there can no
longer bo any question of the possibility of two
independent occurrences.
"An additional reason is constituted by the
fact that officers of the American navy found
fragments of an explosive in the hold of the
Sussex, which are described by them upon firm
grounds as part of a Gorman torpedo.
DESCRIPTION VARIES
"Finally, tho counter evidence, which was
deduced In tho note of the tenth ultimo from
tho difference in appearance of the vessel de
scribed by tho submarino commander and the
only reproduction of the Sussex then available,
has proven to bo untenable, inasmuch as, ac
cording to a photograph of tho damaged Sus
sex now to hand, the characteristic distinctions
no longer existed at tho time of tho accident;
while tho Sussex in the photograph of the Daily
Graphic, inclosed in the note, only carried one
mast, and also showed the white gangway, cus
tomary on passenger vessels on the level with
the port holes 0. W. S., the reproduction of the
damaged Sussex shows a second mast and a uni
form dark color, and thus approaches in her
outer appearance the description of the vessel
as furnished by the submarine commander.
"In view of the general impression of all the
facts at hand, the German government considers
it beyond doubt that tho commander of tho
submarine acted in tho bona fide belief that he
was facing an enemy warship. On the other
hand, It can not be denied that, misled by the
appearance of the vessel, under the pressure of
circumstances, he formed his judgment too hur
riedly in establishing her character, and did
not, therefore, act fully in accordance with the
strict instructions which called upon him to
exercise particular care.
EXPRESSES REGRET
"In view of these circumstances, the German
government frankly admits that the assurance
given tho American government in accordance
with which vessels wero not to be attacked
without warning has not been adhered to in the
present case.
"As was intimated by the undersigned in the
note of the fourth instant, the German govern
ment does not hesitate to draw from this result
ant consequences.
"It, therefore, expresses to the American
government its sincere regret regarding the de
plorable incident, and declares its readiness to
pay an adequate indemnity to the injured Amer
ican citizens.. It also disapproved of the conduct
of tho commander who has been appropriately
punished.
"Expressing the hope that the American gov
ernment will consider the case of the Sussex as
settled by these statements, the undersigned
avails himself of this occasion to renew to the
ambassador the assurance of his highest con
sideration. "VON JAGOW."
HAIL, COMMONER
N. H. Trimble, in Columbia, Mo., Times, May
5, 1916.
As a great Democrat Columbia greets you, our
guest today!
For twenty years you have stood in the fore
most rank of those who contend for the people.
It has pleased and inspired us to see you strug
gling there.
You have fought mighty battles, winning
some, losing others, but behind every conflict a
high and worthy motive forced you on
Missouri has stood with you in almost every
struggle. Though you sorely wounded our pride
we believe you acted in good conscience, there
fore our faith remains.
Your war against war-has opened our eyes to
hidden enemies who would dip our flag in blood
that they may wring profit out of our agony
Peace, wreathed with garlands of honor is
that for which you earnestly contend.
Those who paint you as an advocate of na
tional weakness and ready surrender pay small
attention to the vigor of your many combats
We recognize that you and our honored Pres
ident seek the same ends. Wilson finds in you
a closer sympathy and truer support than in
many who brand your bravery as party treason
M,T w,iaUitUdG f ltte insfstance wTi?ch
Mr Wilson assumes has its rational interpreta
tion in your demands for national calm.
Good friend, continue on in your mmnr
for righteousness and honor. Your eZnfes
will multiply as your purposes are attained Tho
dishonest po iticians of all parties, the grinder
of labor and grabber of wealth, the distiller and
brewer with their nasty horde, these, and many
more will blacken your name, if they can.
Wo welcome you to Columbia today, Com
moner, we listen to your words, wo honor your
courage, wo long for your vision. As you leave
us take along the wish of good will which must
ever follow the man who dares to do right!
One quarter of the surplus wealth of the world
is possessed by the United States, according to
statisticians, although but G per cent of the peo
ple of the world are found .within our borders
The reason why our surplus is so great is that
wo have been free for a century from the craze
for armament that has cost the great nations of
Europe billions in that time. There is no other
reason, for as a matter of fact individually we
are more extravagant than the people of any
other nation. Yet there are those who would
uso the fact that we have more than our ordin
ary share of the world's wealth as an argument
why we should arm ourselves as heavily as those
that have sunk their surplus in preparations for
war that naturally resulted in war.
The preparedness forces have sent out over
the country a moving picture play in which the
spectacle is shown of the principal coast cities
being bombarded and captured and the interior
invaded by a large foreign army. Being scared
themselves, these men think that the rest of
the country can be as easily frightened into
turning its pocketbooks over .to them. The real
American spirit is not found in the money marts
of the east, and it will be demonstrated by its
actual possessors in the form of a swift resent
ment at being regarded as weaklings.
An organization represented to be composed
of a thousand St. Louis business men deluged
the Missouri members of congress with telegrams
asking them to favor a navy equal to any other
on earth, and a standing army of 250,000 men
with a million reserves. None of the signers ac
companied the demand with an agreement to
enlist in either branch of the service Labor
ing men are expected, under frieir program, to
do the fighting for these patriotic gentlemen.
It will be but a few months now until a large
assortment of republican campaign orators will
essay the task of explaining to the American
people why, by means of a high tariff, which is
expressly designed to keep out imports,-it would
have been possible to secure more revenue at
the customs houses than a low tariff, made for
reyenue purposes only, has yielded. It will be
some explanation, all right.
Senator Borah was so greatly opposed "to be
ing entered in the republican contest for a "pres
idential nomination that he demanded that his
name be taken off the primary ballots in those
states where enthusiastic friends had placed him
Somilation- "Which would indicate that
William had had experience before in chasing
will-o -the-wisps and is disinclined to spending
money foolishly.
Republicans who saw in the sugar clause of
the democratic tariff an assault upon a great in
dustry and a menace to industrial prosperity,
declare that the action of the administration in
repealing that clause is a costly blunder. They
think only in terms of protection, and do not
realize that a tariff that is constructed for rev
enue purposes should conserve revenues by
legislation.
iT V gument on behalf of Ponging tWs na-
? R a? e?,travasant expenditure for an arm
ament that will make war more certain, is pro-
52L B rath?,P ,8lowly- Those who .opposed it
were first called mollycoddles, then white-liv-
redAraericans, but the preparedness dictionary
has been unequal to furnishing a third argu-
tiiit? ill nrinjtuiK viewpoint as to what consti-
SrSt, hfPttriotlB,,!Ia furnisfled by those in-
? fSThat have unite in manufacturing news
firm ft SEn.8 Pfea8Uro to bear to force interven-
border T because Villa raided an American
th J? SnlPflde of cUtude we should not forget
S?ort?hrnJectly toJhe Beat of trouble. Fifty
?thr 2?r8,ln Mfxico City re arrested the
of K LChf.rged1 Atn BDing Ise reports
mllfoUeX in r-de at the'
vC' 'i
1
i