Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Ii II. S. ME TO MIM HHHM?????? Demands That Imperial Government Abide by Rules of International Law. America Willing to Take Reasonable Precautions, But Ex? pects Germany to Guarantee Safety of Its Citizens and Non-Combatants of Belligerent Nations-Says That Points its German Reply Were Irrelevant to Issue. Washington. June in.? The text of the American rejoinder to the Ger? man government's reply to the note following the sinking of the laisitama follows: "The Secretary of Htate ad Interim to lbs American Ambu.?sador at Her ho "Department of Htate. "Washington. June 9, 191.". American Ambassador. Herlin: "You are Instructed to deliwr tsxtually the following note to the minister of foreign affairs: In compliance with your excel? lency's request I did not fall to trans? mit to my government immediately upon their receipt your note of May II In reply to my note of May 15. and your supplementary note of June 1, setting forth the conclusions so far as reached by the Imperial German government concerning the attacks on the American steamer* dishing and Gulnlght. X am now instructed by my government to communicate the following In rrply: "Ths government of the United States notes with gratification the full recognition by the Imperial German government In discussing the cases of the Cushlng and the Gulflight of the principles of the freedom of all parts of the open sea to neutral ships and the frank willingness of the Imperial German government to acknowledge and meet Its liability where the tact of attack upon neutral ships 'which have not been guilty of any hostile act' by German aircraft or vessels of war Is satisfactorily established; and the government of the United States will In dus course lay before the Im? perial German government, at Its re? quest, full Information concerning the attack on the steamer Cushlng. "With regard to the sinking of the steamer Falaba. by which an Ameri? can cltfsen lost his life, the govern? ment of ths 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 the obligation of the officer seeking to make the capture in respect of the safety of the lives of those on board the merchantman, although the ves? sel had ceased her attempt to escape when torpedoed. These are not new circumstances. They have l>een in the minds of statesmen and of inter? national Jurists throughout the de? velopment of naval warfare, and the government of the United States does not understand that they have ever been held to alter the principles of humanity upon which it has in.dsted. Nothing but actual forcible resistance or continued efforts to i-seape by flight when ordered to stop for the purpose of visit on the part of the merchant? man 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 Oerman government is seeking In this case to relieve Itself of liability but only Intends to set forth the circumstances which led the commander of the submarine to allow himself |g bo hurried mto the course which he took. "Tour excellency's note, in discuss? ing the loss of American lives result? ing from the sinking of the steamship l.usltanla. adverts at some length to certain Information whleh the im perlal German government has re? ceived with regard to the character and outfit of that vessel, und your ex? cellency expresses the fear that this information may not have been brought to the attention of the gov? ernment of the l nu.,1 States. It is stated In the note th.it lb* l.usltanla was undoubtedly equipped Wltb mask? ed guns. auppli<-il with trained gun? ners and special ammunition, trans? porting troops from Penafla. earrylag n cargo not permitted under the laws of the Cnited States to a vessel also carrying passeng* | md serving, in virtual effect, as an auxlliar\ to tin naval forces of QfsjeJ Britain. For? tunately these sre matters concerning which the governmt i [ of the I'nited States Is. In a position to give tin- im? perial German go\erm:.ent official In? formation. 01 the facts iHsajod in >ir exc ?* note. It true, tin government of tin- Cnited States would have been bound to t ike ofllclal cognisance In performing Its rOOOSJ? Bleed duty as a neutral power und in enforcing Its national laws. It was its duty to sen to it the fdsBileala was not srmed for offensive action, th.it she was not serving as a transport, that ahe did .iot carry a car^o pro? hibited by the statutes of the Halted Wales, and that. If In fact die u , ; naval vessel of Oroat Britain, she should not receive clearance uh a mer? chantman; and It performed that duty and enforced Its statutes with scrup? ulous viligance through its regularly constituted offlciuls. It Is able, there? fore, to anMure the Imperial German government that it has been misin? formed, if the imperial German gov? ernment should deem itself to be In !. -i-ii of i ?mi\ incing - vidence that the oftlclals of tho government of the United States did not perform these duties with thoroughness, the government of the United States sin? cerely hopes that it will submit that evidence for consideration. "Whatever may be the contentions of the imperial German government regarding the carriage of contraband of war on board the Lusitanla or re? garding the explosion of that material by the torpedo, It need only be said that in the view of this kvvernment these contentions are irrelevant to the question of the legality of the methods used by the German naval authorities in sinking the vessel. "Hut the sinking of passenger ships ' involves principles of humanity which throw Into the background any special circumstances of detail that may be thought to affect the case, principles which lift it, as the imperial German government will no doubt be quick to recogniza and acknowledge, out of the class of ovd'nary subjects of diplo? matic discussion or of international controversy. Whatever be the other facts regarding the Lusitanla, the pertinent fact is that a great steamer, primarily and chiefly a conveyance for paflsengers, and 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 wurnlng, and that men, women and children were sent to their death in circum? stances unparalleled in modern war? fare. The fact that more than 100 American citizens were among t'iose who perished made it the duty of the go\ernment of the United States to speak of these things und once more, with solemn emphasis, to call the attention of the' imperial German government to the grave responsibility which the government of the United States conceives, that it has incurred In this tragic occurrence, and to the indisputable principle upon which thut responsibility rests. "Tho government of the United States is contending for something much greater than mere rights of property or privileges of commerce. It is contending for nothing less high and sacred than the rights of hu? manity, which every government hon? ors itself in respecting and which no government is justified in resigning on behalf of those under Its care and uuthorlty. Only her actual resistance to capture or refusal to stop when ordered to do so for the purpose of n Isit could have afforded the com? mander of the submarine any Justi? fication for so much as putting the lives of those on board the ship in jeopardy. This principle tho govern? ment of the United States understands the explicit instructions issued on Au? gust 3, 1914, by the imperial German admiralty to its commanders at sea to have recognized and embodied, as do the naval codes of all other na? tions, and upon It every traveler and Seaman bad a right to depend. It is upon this principle of humanity 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 inti? mation that tb'* imperial German gov? ernment Is Willing, now as before, to accept the good otlices of the United States in an attempt to come to an understanding 1 Ith the government of Great I'.ritain by which the character and conditions of the war upon the sea may be changed. The government Of the United States e/Ottld consider It a privilege thus to serve its frlei.dl und the \\<>iid. It stands ready at any .me to convey to either government .my intimation or suggestion the other in.iv be willing to have it eonvey and cordially invites the Imperial German government to make use of Its cervices in this Wgy at Its coincidence. The Whole world is concerned In anything thai may bring about even a parti I accommodation of Interests or III any Way mitigate the terrors of the pres? ent dlatreesinsj conflict. "In the meantime, whatever ar rangementi may happily be made bea tween Ihe parties lo the war ami Whatevei may In the opinion ot the BRITISH STOPPING COTTON. ANNOUNCED THAT YARN IS REACHING GERMANY BY WAY OF NEUTRAL COUNTRIES. Licencing Committees Appointed to Deal With Question to Satisfaction of Neutrals in shipment of Cotton. London. June 10.?Wolter R. Runci man, president of the Board of trade, announced to the house of commons today that inasmuch as cotton yarn exported to some neutral countries has been reaching countries hostile to Great Britain, it would be necessary hereafter to procure licenses to ex porw yarn to neutral ports, as is done in the case of coal. In order that licenses may be dealt with quickly, a cotton licensing committee similar to the coal export committee, will be appointed. Speaking on the general subject of cotton shipments Mr. Kunciman said j that particular importance attached to the subject of cotton shipments from the United Sttaes. From the start the government had taken meas? ures which it thought would be effec? tive In checking the receipt of cot? ton by enemies of Great Britain but from one direction after another there had come evidence which could not be disregarded, to the effect that cotton was passing into Germany. Germany was not Unding cotton necessary for the manufacture of ex? plosives, he said, since she had al? ready stocked herself very well for thet purpose, but cotton sent in might be used, and it became incum? bent upon the British government that cotton should be one of tho first things to be prevented from reaching Germany. "We held up large number of cot? ton vessels," Mr. Kunciman continued, "oh terms which I am glad to think were satisfactory to vendors in the United States, and the foreign office has been able to avoid any friction which might be apprehended. This cotton is Unding its way into Lan? cashire mills. "The same objection Is applied to cotton yarn. We could not allow cot? ton yarn to be exported, even when going ostensibly to neutrals. The gov? ernment secured a guarantee that it would not be reexported, but figures of imports and exports showed that It Could not all be used in the destina? tion countries." URGE BLAND TO STAND. Mnywvlllo Friends of lt. J. Blond's Candidacy for legislature. A telephone message received by The Item Saturday morning stated that friends of It. J. Bland at a meet? ing at Mayesvllle had endorsed him and would urge him to stand for the vacancy in v .ie Sumter county legisla? tive delegation. Mr. Bland is a well known lawyer and an excellent man for the position. He has many friends throughout Sumter county and would make a strong race, if he is induced to become a candidate. 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 States con? fidently looks to see the justice and humanity of the government of Ger? many vindiacted In all cases where Americans have been wronged or their rights as neutrals Involved. "The government of tho United States, therefore, earnestly and very solemnly renews the representations of its note transmitted to the impe? rial German government on the 15th of May and relies on these represen? tations upon the principles of human? ity, tho universally recognized under? standings of international law, and the ancient friendship of the German nation. "The goverment of the United States can not admit that the promul? gation of a war zone from which neu? tral ships have been warned to keep away may be made to operate as in any degree an abbreviation of the rights either of American Shipmasters or of American citizens bound on law? ful errands as passengers on merchant ships of belligerent nationality. It does not understand the imperial Ger? man government to question those rights. It understands it, also, to ac? cept as established beyond question the principle that the lives Of non combatants can not lawfully or right? fully be put In jeopardy by the cap? ture or destruction of an unresisting merehantman? and to recognise the obligation to take sufficient precau? tion to ascertain whether a suspected merchantman is in fact of belligerent nationality or is in fact carrying con? traband of war Uder 0 neutral fiag. Tin; goverment of the United States therefore deems it reasonable to ex? pect that the Imperial German gov? ernment will adopt the measures necessary to put these principles Into practice in respect of the safeguard? ing of American lives and American ships and asks for assuranes that this will be done. (Rlgned) "Robert Lansing, "Secretary of of State ad Interim." RELIES ON MORAL SUASION. BRYAN WOULD ADOPT RADICAL CODE IN DEALING WITH NA? TIONAL DIFFERENCES, Grdmt Commoner Relieves in Appeal? ing to System of Love and not Re? sorting to Force?Asks People Not to Judge Mini Until lie Has Set His Cause Before Them. Washington, June 10.?William Jennings Bryan, in an appeal address? ed "To the American People," tonight asks them to hear him before they pass sentence on his laying down the portfolio of secretary in the midst of international stress. Conildeni that the public will credit ] him with honorable intentions, Mr. Bryan frankly says that good inten? tions arc not enough and that if the public verdict is against him he asks no mercy, asserting that men in pub? lic life must be "willing to bear any deserved punishment from ostracism to execution." Interpreting the American note to Germany on submarine warfare, which he refused to sign, as conforming to the "old system" of diplomatic stand? ards, precedents for which "are writ? ten in characters of blood upon almost every page of human history," and characterizing himself as a champion of the new system?persuasion . in? stead of force?and as "an humble follower of the Prince of Peace," the former secretary of state pleads for the United States to lead the world "out of the black night of war into the light of that day 'when swords shall be beaten into plowshares.' " Tomorrow Mr. Bryan will issue an? other statement, an appeal, he says, to "German-Americans." The nature of this appeal he would not discuss. But with the Issuance of the third statement since his resignation the former secretary says he will be ready to rest his case. Of course I shall always be ready to talk when the occasion arises and I think It necessary," Mr. Bryan de? clared. The statement tonight, entitled by the former secretary 'The Real Issue," Is as follows: "To American People: "You now have before you*the text of the note to German1 ?tl e note which it would have been my official duty to sign had I remained secre? tary of State. I ask you to sit In judgment upon my decision to resign rather than to share responsibility for it. I am sure you will credit me with honorable motives, but that Is not enough. Good intentions could not atone for a mistake at such a time, on such a subject and under such circumstances. If your verdict is against me, I ask no mercy; I desire none if I have acted unwisely. A man in public life must act according to his conscience, but however con? scientiously he acts, he must be pre? pared to accept without complaint any condemnation which his own errors may bring upon him; he must be will? ing to bear any deserved punishment from ostracism to execution. But hear me before you pass sentence. "The president and I agree in pur? pose; we desire a peaceful solution of the dispute which has arisen be? tween the United States and Germany. We not only desire it, but with equal fervor we pray for it but we differ irreconcilably as to the means of se? curing it. If it were merely a per? sonal difference it would be a matter of little moment, for all the presump? tions are on his side?the presump? tions that go with power and author? ity. He is your president; I am pri? vate citizen without ofllce or title? but one of the hundred million of in? habitants. "But the real issue is not between persons; it is between systems; and I rely for vindication wholly upon the strength of the position taken. "Among the influences which gov? ernments employ In dealing with each other there are two which are pre? eminent and antagonistic?force and persuasion. Force speaks with firm? ness and acts through the ultimatum; persuasion employs argument, courts investigation and depends upon nego? tiations. Force represents the Old system?the system that must pass away; persuasion represents the new system?the system that has been growing, all too slowly, it is true, but growing for ll>00 years. In the eld system war is the chief cornerstone? war which at its best is little better than war at its worst; the new sys? tem contemplates a universal brother? hood established through the uplift? ing power of example. "If I correctly interpret the note to Germany, it conforms to the stand? ards of the old system rather than to the rules of the new, and I cheerfully admit that it is abundantly supported by precedents?precedents written in characters Of blood upon almost every page of human history. Austria fur? nishes the most recent precedent; it Was Austria's firmness that dictated the ultimatum against Bervla, which set the world at war. Every ruler now participating in this unparalleled conflict has proclaimed his desire for Ipeaoe ami denied responsibility for LANDS MUSI BE RESTORED. COURT DECIDES AGAINST SOUTH- : ERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. Valuable Oil Land! Taken by lYaud, Kays Uourt,, and Must l>o Heturned to (iovenuiK'iit?In Kein County, California. Uos Angeles, June 11.?Ten se ctions of California oil lands near the town of McKittrick, Kern county, valued at $15,000,000, were declared to have been fraudulently patented by the Southern Pacific Railway company in a decision by Robert S. Bean of the United States district court of Oregon, filed here today. The land, part of a large area which was alleged to have been claimed illegally by the railroad company, was ordered restored to the government. The land is in Kern county and would supply the navy with petroleum for 25 years, according to Willis X. Mills, special counsel for the government, who made the closing argument here before Judge Bean last January. Another suit involving oil lands in the same area, valued by experts at $320,000,000, is pending in the United States district court. In the suit just decided hearings were held in various parts of the country during a period extending over three years. The gov? ernment alleged that C. W. Eberlein, a land agi ut of the Southern Pacific company, had filed affidavits that the I lands had been inspected and found to be not mineral, but agricultural. Patents were granted in 1904. At the trial of the case however, Eberlein testified that he never had caused the lands to be inspected, as set forth in the affidavits upon which the government granted title. the war, and it is only charitable that we should credit all of them with good faith. They desired peace, but they sought it according to the rules of the old system. They be? lieved that firmness would give the best assurance of the maintenance of peace and faithfully following pre? cedent they went so near the fire that they were, one after another, sucked into the contest. Never before have the frightful follies of this fatal system been so clearly revealed as now. The most civilized and enlight? ened?aye, the most Christian of the nations of Europe?are grappling with each other as if in a death strug? gle. They are sacrificing the best and bravest of their sons on the battle? field; they are converting their gard? ens into cemeteries and their homes into houses of mourning; they are taxing the wealth of today and laying a burden of debt on the toil of the future; they have filled the air with thunderbolts more deadly than those of Jove and they have multiplied the perils of the deep. Adding fresh fuel to the flarne of hate, they have d illy devised new horrors, until one side is endeavoring to drown noncombat.mt men, women and children at sea, while the other seeks to starve uon combatant men, women and children on land. And they are so absorbed in alternate retaliation and in com? petitive cruelties that they seem, for the time being, blind to the rights of neutrals and deaf to the appeals of humanity. A tree is known by its fruit. The war in Europe is the ripen? ed fruits of the old system. "This is what firmness, supported by force, has done in the old world; shall wc invite it to cross the Atlan? tic? Already the jingoes of our own country have caught the rabies from the dogs of war; shall the opponents of organized slaughter be silent while the disease spreads? "As an humble follower of the Prince of Peace, as a devoted believer in the prophecy that 'they that take i the sword shall perish with the sword,* I beg to be counted among those who I earnestly urge the adoption of a course in this matter which will leave no doubt of our government's willing? ness to continue negotiations with Germany until an amicable under? standing is reached or at least until, the stress of war over, we can appeal from Philip drunk with carnage to Philip sobered by the memories of an historic friendship and by a recollec? tion of the Innumerable ties of kin? ship that bind the fatherland to the United States. "Some nation must lead the world out of the black night of war into the light of that day when 'swords shall be beaten into plowshares.' Why not make that honor ours? Some day ?why not now??the nations will learn that enduring peace cannot be built upon war?that good will does not grow upon the stalk of violence. Some day the nations will place their trust in love, the weapon for which j there is no shield; in love, that SUf feretb long and is kind; in love, that is not easily provoked, that beareth all things, belleveth all tilings, hopeth all thlnga, endureth all things; in love which, though deepleed as weakness by the worshipers of Mars, abideth w hen all else fails. (Signed) "W. J. Bryan " When Mr. Bryan met newspaper men at his home to give out his state? ment, lie was clad in a military look WANTS LIGHT TURNED ON. ???? ? SUPKRINTENDEXT FULLAM SAYS mi. WOULD WELCOME IN? VESTIGATION. Naval Academy Head Objects to Re? flections on Hin Administration am* Ofticlals of Academy?Midshipman Says Only one Man Did Not Ha*e Advance Information. Annapolis, June 11.?In an author? ized statement tonight Faar Admiral Fullam said he would welcome a searching investigation into his ad? ministration as superintendent of the naval academy. He expressed strong indignation at what he considered re? flections and insinuations agains* him and the officers under his com.nani in the course of the proceedings be? fore the court of inquiry investigating irregularities in examinations at the academy. Since he had been superintendent, the admiral said, he had endeavored In every way to impress upon the members of each successive first class that they no longer were boys, but soon were to become commissioned of? ficers In the navy. Especially in their last year as midshipmen they were to maintain a high standard of honor amons themselves and thus set an example to the underclassmen. Admiral Fullam said that while what he considered reasonable pre? cautions were taken to guard the ex? amination papers he did not believe in any system that was calculated to give the midshipmen and idea that they were not to be trusted. Admiral Fullam's statement supple? mented a letter to Capt. Russell, pres? ident of the court, read at the after noon session in which the admiral re? quested permission for himself and fellow officers to appear with counsel "to hear testimony against us and to cross-examine witnesses who ga^e such testimony." Midshipman George D. Price, a member of the new Bret class at the naval academy, today told the naval court that he knew of only one man out of the first and second classes who did not have advance information concerning the last annual examina? tion In the department of modern lan? guages. The information, he said, was in the form of copies of sentences and matters that had been emphasized In class. He declared he had no knowl? edge that any of the socalled "dope" that was being generally circulated had been copied from questions in an official examination paper. A midshipman would be regarded as a fool by his classmates if he re? ported to the authorities that he had received advance information, Price said, though it always was the cus? tom to get a little "dope" just before an examination. Some of this was in the nature of suggestions given out 1 In class room by instructors to study certain things that were important. Not all instructors gave out such sug? gestions; therefore, he said, in reply to another question, a midshipman in a section where such suggestions were not given was at a disadvantage as cori\pared with one in the section pur? suing the same course of study who received suggestions. CAR OF BERRIES DAILY Rains Greatly Benefit tho Planters With Their Crops. The gloom that settled down over the strawberry planters after the severe hail last week, was partly dis? pelled by the recent rains, which sav? ed a great part of the crop that ap? peared to be lost. The farmers are shipping a car of the berries daily, and will continue to do so for several days to come. Several buyers from northern markets are here compet? ing for the shipments, and will re? main until the season is over. A great many of the berries are being handled locally.?Georgetown Times. DATES FOR ENCAMPMENT. First Regiment Will be In Field at Charleston for Tni Days. Columbia, June 10.?Annual en? campment of the First infantry. Na? tional Guard, will be held at Charles? ton, July 7 to 17, inclusive. This an? nouncement was made yesterday by Adjt. Gen. Moore, after a conference with Col. E. M. Blythe of Greenville. The Second infantry will encamp at some point In the Piedmont section of the State. July 20 to 30, inclusive. Maj. A. H. Silcox of Charleston and Gen. Moore returned to Columbia yes? terday, after inspecting the sites that have been offered for the encamp? ment of the Second infantry. Maj. Silcox will tile a report on the va? rious sites with Col. H. B. Springs and the site will be selected next week. mmmmmwmMmmm* Ing khaki riding suit, having just re? turned from a horseback ride in the country. "I rode out in the woods today," he said, "and chopped down a tree. Chopping is my chief exercise lately.'' Asked how big the tree was. he said it was IS inches thick and added th:it he thought wood chopping the finest exercise In the world.