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Abbeville Press and Banner " A*?0r ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY. JUNE 2 1915. . established Germany's Fails & No Decision as to Demands Made by JP United States Until Government at Washington Has Replied in 1 Tarn to Communication From Von ' Jagovr?No Intention to Submit 1 *r _?? r cl:? \l/? At. ] neucrni juip? w ? ? tacks by Submarines or Aeroplanes. 1 Berlin, May 30.?Germany with- 1 holds its final decision on the de- 1 mands advanced by the United State? government in connection with the sinking of the Lusitania until the re- * ceipt of an answer from the United J , States to the note which Herr von 1 Jagow, the foreign minister, has de- ' livered to Ambassador Gerard, in 1 reply to the American note received 1 by the German government on May 1 15. In its reply the German govern- 1 ment declares that it is not its inten- 1 tion to submit neutral ships in the 1 war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by submarine or ! aeroplane; that it is investigating ! the circumstances in connection with ' the attacks on the American steam- 1 ers Cushing and Gulflight and that in ' all cases where neutral vessels, ' through no fault of their own, have been damaged Germany will pay in- J demnification. ? ' The reply urges that in the case of j' the Lusitania, which Germany alle- 1 ges, was armed and carried large ' stores of war munitions, "it was act- ' ing in justified self-defense in seeking with all the means of warfare at!' its disposition to protect the lives of 1 the soldiers by destroying ammuni- 1 tion intended for the enemy." i Pats Buck to British. The German government recalls the proposals submitted by the Unit-' ed States government to Berlin and London, designed to end the submarine warfare and the shutting out of food supplies from Germany which, it declares, failed of their purpose because of the refusal of the British; government to agree to them. j The following is the text of the ' German note made public today: / "The undersigned has the honor y to submit to Ambassador Gerard the following answer to the communication of May 15 regarding the injury to American interests through German submarine warfare. "Th^. imperial government has subjected the communication of tne American government to a thorough investigation. It entertains also a keen wish to cooperate in a frank and friendly way in clearing up a possible misunderstanding which may have arisen in the relations be tween the two governments through the events mentioned by the American government. "Regarding, firstly, the cases of the American steamers Cushing and Gulflight. The American embassy has already been informed that the German government has no intention of submitting neutral ships in the war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by submarines or aviators. On the contrary, the German forces have repeatedly been instructed most specifically to avoid c am nil aU AiUtMm T abbAV.IV.3 VII 3LH.ll OIlipS. 1 "If neutral ships in recent months j have suffered through the German \ submarine warfare, owing to mistakes in identification, it is a question only of quite isolated and exceptional cases, which can be attributed . to the British government's abuse of flags, together with the suspicious or culpable behavior of the masters of the ships. ^ The German government in all s cases in which it has been shown by 5 its investigations that a neutral ship, ^ not itself at fault, was damaged by German submarines or aviators, has expressed regret over the unfortunate accident and, if justified by con ^ ditions, has offered indemnification. li Cuthing and Gulflight. [ "The cases of the Cushing and the r, Gulflight will be treated on the same t principles. An investigation of both t cases is in progress the result of Note to Answer which will presently be communicated to the embassy. The investigation can, if necessary, be supplanted by an international call on the international commission of inquiry as provided by article 3 of The Hague agreement of October 18, 1907. "When sinking the British steamer ?alaba the commander of the Gernan submarine had the intention of allowing the passengers and crew a full opportunity for a safe escape. Only when the master did not obey ;he order to heave to, but fled and summoned help by rocket signals, did :he German commander order the :rew and passengers by signals and megaphone to leave the ship within ten minutes. He actually allowed them 23 minutes time and fired the torpedo only when suspicious craft ivere hastening to the assistance of the Falaba. "Regarding the loss of life by the sinking of the British passenger steamer Lusitania, the German government 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, however, can not 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 government. "In the interest of a clear and complete understanding, which is the aim of both governments, the imperial German government considers it first necessary to convince itself that the information accessible to both governments about the facts of the :ase is complete and in accord. The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an >rdinary unarmed merchantman. The mperial government allows itself, in ;his connection to point out that the Lusitania was one of the largest Bri;ish merchant ships, built with government funds as an auxiliary cruis?r and carried expressly as such in ;he 'navy list' issued by the British idmiralty. "It is further known to the impeial government from trustworthy eports from its agents and neutral jassengers, that for a considerable ;ime practically all the more valuable 3ritish merchantmen have been quipped with cannon and ammuni;ion and other weapon? and manned vith persons who have been specially rained in serving guns. The Lusi;ania, too, according to information eceived here, had cannon aboard, vhich were mounted and concealed >elow decks. 'The imperial government, further las the honor to direct the particular ittention of the American governnent to the fact that the British adniralty in confidential instructions ssued in February 1915. recommend. ;d its mercantile shipping not only o seek protection under neutral lags, but also, while disguised to atack German submarines by ramning. As a special incitation to merhantmen to destroy submarines the Jritish government also offered high >rizes and has already paid such revards. Not at "Undefended." "The imperial government, in view these facts, indubitably known to t, is unable to regard British merhantmen in the zone of naval oprations specified by the admiralty taff of the German navy as 'undeended.' German commanders conequently are no longer able to oberve the customary regulations of he prize law, which they before al fays followed. "Finally the imperial government lust point out particularly that the jusitania on its last trip, as on earier occasions, carried Canadian roops and frar material, including lo less than 5,400 cases of ammuniion intended for the destruction of he brave German soldiers who are (Continued on Page seven.) U. S. WILL RELIEVE= STARVING MEXICANS WARRING CLANS MUST REACH AGREEMENT President Wilson Makes Statement Public on Tuesday, but it is Understood That Demand Will Be Made by United States to Ceane Fighting. Washington, May 30.?There were plain indications tonight that from now on the administration will vigorously seek to end the chaos in Mexico. Until President Wilson makes public on Tuesday a statement he has prepared, details of his plans will not be known, but it was understood tonight the various Mexican leaders will be informed that the time has come for them to stop fighting between themselves and agree on a government which the United States can recognize. It is expected that the statement will recite famine conditions in the Southern republic as Duval West and other government agrents have portrayed them. The president will point out how patiently the American government has waited for the Mexican factions to adjust the problem them- , selves, and how helpless the Mexican people generally have become in the hands of the military elements. The statement, which is to be sent to all factional leaders, will not announce the course the United States expects to follow in case an agreement does not result, but will point out that conditions have become intolerable and must be reme died oy outside influences if there are no elements in the country with sufficient capacity to wrest the republic from its state of anarchy. The advisability of placing an embargo on the exportation of arms and ammunition to Mexico has been urged as one means of putting a stop to 1 fighting there. Conditions in Mexico. A Red Cross statement issued tonight pictured conditions among the 1 nr ; ;i;? i i? * 1 xuexican civilian population as aeplorable with famine spreading from city to city and through the outlying ' districts. * "Conditions are growing steadily worse/' said the statement. "At Mon- ] terey several thousands are fed daily. Farmers from the surrounding country are coming to the city to buy corn, but can not obtain it. Mul- < titudes are on the verge of starva- ] tion. ^ "At Durango the government's ef- < forts to keep down the price of food ] supplies failed. Food supplies are 1 becoming so scarce and the cost so s high that the poorer classes are un- i able to buy. 1 "At Tampico all food is about ex- i hausted. Conditions in outlying dis- i tricts are worse, and tales of the starvation of the poor people are con- 1 staritly coming into the city. t "At Vera Cruz and in the sur- j rounding country famine conditions i prevail. At Jalapa the general con- ? ditions of the town is appalling. Mon- . ey was raised by the chamber of commerce to relieve the distress and corn was imported, but the funds were soon exhausted. Most distressing scenes took place at the munici- s pal hall when these rations were dis- j tributed. Some 2,500 women were j collected at 7 o'clock in the morning y to get in line for the distribution, y which began at 11 o'clock. Many af- x ter waiting for hours went home cry ing, ior tne supply ran out, ana, sum- s ming up the case, it means the practical starvation of the town. c Fatal Ruth for Corn. i "On the west coast the inhabitants ^ are reported as starving. When a F boat load of corn was brought into e Acapulco the rush of the people was c so great that several children were trampled to death and a number of * women injured. v "In Mexico City the situation is ^ grave. As early as March 100,000 F persons were reported suffering from s hunger. Conditions have grown worse ^ and many are starving. For the food ? MM Three Universities to Send 32 Surgeons and 75 Nuirses at Britain's Request. New York Times. England has called on American surgeons to man her newest and largest field hospital. The medical :-chools of Columbia, Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities, as the three foremost centres of medical learning: in this country, offered to supply ihe men and nurses, and a cablegram has been received from the director general of the English Army Medical Corps accepting the cffer. Thirty-two surgeons and physicians and 715 nurses will be sent, i-y the three American universities to man the hospital. The first d Swich* worf Tirill coil oKrtiif -fV>a Af TT 111 oau OUUUb Ulv lillUUI^ V.' June. Sir William Osier, former/ of Johns Hopkins university, but now professor of medicine in Oxford university, conceived the idea of having the new field hospital manned by \merican surgeons, picked by men with whom he was professionally associated in this country. The idea met the approval of Lord Kitchener. Sir William cabled to the three universities that Engtilnd thought very highly of the work done by volunteer American surgeons, but that he was anxious to add to the laurels won by medical men from the United States by having a unit in charge of men sponsored by the three American medical schools most highly thought of in Europe. A I.L. U _ ? - ? _ ns me result 01 a conierence 01 thr heads of the three schools, Dr. W ?lton Martin of Columbia, Dr. Edwacd Hall Nichols of Harvard, and Dr. J. M. T. Finney of Johns Hopkins were named to plan the wo :1c. The leading medical men of rhc ihr^e institutions, including such rien as Dr. Harvey Cushing of Harvard, Dr. Samuel W. Lambert, dean of the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Drs. William H. Welch and W. S. Baer of Johns Hopkins have lent their advice and counsel. Pythian* Propose Fight On Plague. v (Columbia Record.) The proposal of the establishment if a tuberculosis sanitarium by the Knights of Pythias order in this State was yesterday referred to a special committee of which Bev. Louis J. Bristow, of Abbeville, is chairman, Dy the grand lodge, in annual session it Orangeburg. This committee was requested to report their findings reative to the practicability of the effort at a subsequent session of this neeting. Mr. Bristow is chairman of the joard of trustees of the State Bap ;ist Hospital, at Columbia, and is regarded as being well informed of natters relative to the operation of ?uch institutions; as this the Knights >i' Pythias proposed establishing. Home From School. Miss Charlotte Brown, who has ;pent the past year at Chicora, and Hisses Rebecca Jones, Nellie Hardin, Marion Cason, and Marion Mabry, vho are all Winthrop girls, are at lome much to the delight and pleasire of their friends. upplies that remain, fabulous prices lave been reachcd, so only the rich an buy. Epidemics prevail and medcine is prohibitory in price. The city las 600.000 inhabitants in danerer of >erishing from hunger, misery and ipidemic. Six food riots have ocurred." While the Red Cross was giving his statement the Carranza agency /as making public a telegram from /era Cruz, declaring there was no >ossibility of a famine and that the hortage of food was serious only in Mexico City, where the Villa-Zapata government controls. LATEST WAR NEWS] Russian* Claim Success on San Petrograd, May 31, (via London)The battle of the San in the vicinity of Przemysl is developing in favor of the Russians according to an official announcement given out today The Russians between May 12 and May 24 captured nearly 19,000 of their antagonists. The text of the communication follows: "In the Shavli region, in Kovno province, the Germans continue to resist our offensive with violent fire, but the fighting in this district continues to our advantage. "On the front between the river Pilica and the upper Vistula, we cantured between May 12 and May 24, 209 officers and 18,617 of the rank and file. "In Galicia the battle on the San river also is developing in our favor. Our troops have successfully sustained the offensive and last night they crossed the River Luaeczowka and occupied the village of Monasterz, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. "The offensive of the enemv alone the front from Jaroslau to Radymno in an easterly direction, has been stopped by our fire. "On other sectors of our front there were no important changes during Saturday." Teutonic Attack Appears Checked. London, May 31.?The great battle on the San, to whch the Russians fell back after retreating over half of Galicia, still rages, but the Russians assert that they have assumed the offensive. London takes this statement to mean that another mighty German effort has expended itself. Though the fate of Przeijpysl is still uncertain, allied circles con- ( tend that the Austro-Germans have failed to crush the Russians in Galicia and that their rush forward, cost ing thousands of lives, has fallen short, just as did the ' repeated thrusts at Warsaw and Calais. The official Austrian statement tonight claims no noteworthy advances in the East, dismissing the Przemysl region with the brief declaration that "the fighting continues" ancf asserting that there have been no serious engagements elsewhere on the Eastern frnnt The Russians claim victories virtually all along the entire front, especially beyond the Dnfiister where they say they have taken 7,000 pris- . oners. In the West neither side has done ] much of late, although the French continue gnawing around Arras, and , there has been hard fighting along ] the Yser. , Italy has retaliated for the Aus- j trian air and naval raids along her ( east coast by bombarding Pola, the 1 Austrian naval base, from a dirigible, ( while Italian destroyers have made a i dash on Monfalcone, doing considerable damage to Austrian shipping ] and getting away unscratched. 3 fjormnr? QiiKmarinoc liovo Koan o/* < tive, the news tonight adding one ^ more neutral vessel to the growing list of victims. This was the Danish steamer Soborg, sunk 40 miles north- ^ east of the Tyne. All hands were rescued. j The English press is following the German and American exchanges in the Lusitania tragedy with the keenest interest and there is much speculation as to the probable American action. Press Invasion From the South. Italian Frontier (via Paris), May 31.?The Italian invasion of the prog ince of Trent is progressing from the south along the Adige and Chinese e rivers, from the west across the Ton- a ale pass and from the east by way of 0 Lavaronne plateau. The attack of the Italians is continuing all along the zigzag frontier up to the highest part P north of where they have occupied ii the Ampezzo valley, together with C the town of Cortina. 1< Cortina is the junction of several I railroads, the most important being p that from Pieve di Cadore, which ii leads to Toblach along the Drava val- r ley. _ |G ISSUES CALL Band, Drum Corps and Patrol Ask Attention. Columbia, May 31.?If plans of Omar Temple now forming and the efforts of the potentate and nobles of the Shrine succeed, South Carolina will claim a large place in the sun at the meeting of the Imperial Shrine in Seattle, Wash., in July. It had been expected that the temple would be able to bear the expense of the band and patrol to the Washington metropolis, but at the ceremonial session it was found that the state of the treasury would not permit. Ths men of the two organizations were not dismayed and at once set about seeking other ways of bringing the mountain to Mahomet when Mahomet could not go to-the mountain. A meeting was held in Charleston, at which Potentate R. A. Cooper and Recorder Henry A. Strohecker met Capt. Pierre Mazyck of the band, Capt. G. J. McDowell of the patrol, Lieut. Frank Ehrlich, Lieut. Parrott, Lieut. Freyschmidt and Noble Boi neau, chief musician of the band. It was decided at the meeting to request the potentate to issue a call on members of Omar temple for a contribution of $10 each to defray the expenses of the two organiza tions to Seattle and return. The individual members of the organizations will raise $2,000. The expense of the trip will be about $8,000, leaving about $6,000 to be raised by the members of the temple. With the potenate as chairman, a committee has been appointed to look after the matter. This committee is composed of Pierre Mazyck, G. J. McDowell, Frank Ehrlich, Junius Parrott, Char- * les E. Boineau and W. F. ^Gray. The potentate has addressed a letter to every Shriner in South Carolina urging him to come to the support of the band and patrol. Frank E. Ehrlich of Columbia has been named as treasurer of the fund and remittances will be made to him. The funds must be in the hands of Mr. Ehrlich not later than June 10 and the Shriners of the State will have to work with a will to raise the necessary amount. Mr. Ehrlich has communicated with prominent members of the temple in various cities of the State urging their cooperation and it is believed that the amount will be readily subscribed. The members of the patrol reside at Charleston and Sumter, while the band and drum corps members live at Columbia. The progress of the organizations in the two years of their existence has been remarkable and their performances have featured all leremonial sessions since their or ?amzation. It is believed that the South Carolina representatives will take high rank with the several hundred bands ind patrols to attend the meeting of ;he Imperial Shrine at Seattle. iVOMEN ARRESTED IN BERLIN Vn American Woman and Her Dau> ghter are Charged With Intuiting German Officer. Berlin, May27.? Charged with nsulting a German officer, Mrs. Hariet Boyce and daughter, of San Francisco, have been sentenced to I 1 ? * ? ' ' * nree weeKs lrapnsonmeni in tne bavarian town of Lindau. Ambassador Gerard at Berlin has ent a memorial to the German forign office in their behalf. Pending ction mother and daughter are out n bail. Especially interesting is the occuation by the Italians of the heights i southern Trentino, where the Ihieze valley joins the Ampolla valBy. It was at this point that the talian volunteers in the war of 1848 enetrated and also where Garibaldi i 1866 established his headquarters, adiating his action thence in the Jiudclcaria region. ^