THE AMERICANS.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2733, 2 June 1915, Page 2

THE AMERICANS.

AROUSED TO ACTION AT LAST. TO SEVER DIPLOMATIC RELA-

TIONS.. SOME MORE EXPLANATIONS. BRITAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR SUB-

MARINE WARFARE. GERMANY NOT BEING STARVED,

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY. (Received June 2, 10.30 a.m.) Washington, Juno 1. President Wilson has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Germany unless an early reply is received to the American rejoinder, and is now preparing for further action, accord-ing-to circumstances. Washington, Juno 1. Heir you Jagow, interviewed by an American correspondent in Berlin, said that from the outset of the war, Germany was willing to abandon submarine warring on merchantmen if England raised tho embargo on foodstuffs and raw material on the conlitional contraband list. It was Eng- \ land's fault, not Germany's, that America's Avell-ineant proposals failed. Tho question of foodstuffs and raiv uaterials Avas not a question of necessity for Germany, but of principle. Germany had shoAvn she. could not bo starved out. She might bo short of ' some particular foodstuffs, but she had enough to live on and to continue the struggle. It AA'as similarly true of raAV materials. She Avas able to get along even if the imports Av.ero cut off, but Germany objected to Britain's cool assumption, A\dien unablo to defeat the German armies legitimately on the battlefield, that sho was en- '■■'.; titled to force the nation to her knees by economic pressure, disregarding all the accepted, precepts and regulations. V There Avas no precedent for the siego if a civilian population of a. Avhite nation in its own land with no possibility jf escape. Germany Avould fight such an unjustified method of Avar Avith all the means at her disposal. Yon JagOAv he was unable to tell how Germany's Note would' be received. Ho v had no means of communicating Avith their ambassador at Washington. They had no cables', Avhile their Aviroless Avas read or interfered, with by the British. They Avere practically cut off . from America and working in the dark. -

Amsterdam, June 1

The Vossischo Zeitung says that if America alloAVs citizens to risk England's recklessness and then blames Germany, she is no longer a neutral. Washington, June 1. The text of the German Note has been published, and confirms the cabled summary. It aA-ers that Germany docs not intend to attack neutral ships in the Avar zone and not guilty of hostile acts. German officers bad -been repeatedly instructed to iiA-oid such attacks. If neutrals suffered it'AA'as due to mistaken identification. Some cases Avere .attributable to Britain's abuse of the flag, together Avith suspicious or culpable bebaviour by the masters of the ships. Mr Gerrard, U.S.A.'s Ambassador at Berlin, has cabled that the Gulflight Avas torpedoed by mistake.

(Received June 2. 9.15 a.m.)

New York, June 1

The Herald says Germany's hand is dripping with American blood, yot Germany coolly proposes to negotiate as if the question Avas -merely one of the joint control of the Samoa Islands. There never was a time Avhen public opinion Avas so strong and yot under oetter control.

Washington, Juno 1

The Note is brief, and will probably l>e despatched on Thursday. It states that the Lusitania did not carry guns, and there Avas no violation of tho Federal Statutes, Avhich allow ships to carry small arms and- ammunition. She did not leave any doubt of her intention to act, if necessary, in the cause of humanity. It i.s believed that America. Avill insist on a disavowal of the sinking of the Lusitania and a guarantee that submarine Avarfare will in future be conducted humanely.

President Wilson has virtually decided to reiterate his intention to hold Germany to a strict neutrality regarding America. ~