New Britain Herald Newspaper, April 20, 1916, Page 11

NEW, BRITAIN DAILY HERALD, THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1916. ;Gérmany 1s Convicted of Inhumane U-Boat Warfare Stiff Note from President Wi Washington, April 20—The full text of the note to Berlin, addressed to Ambassador Gerard, follows: esYou instructed to deliver the Secretary of Foreign Affairs communication reading as follows: I did not fail to transmit imme- diately, ment Your Excellency’'s note of the 10th instant in regard to certain at- tacks German submarines, and n&rtu‘u]arly regard to the disas- frous explosion which on March 24, last, wrecked the French steamship Sussex in the English Channel. I have now the honor to deliver, under in- structions from my government, the following reply to Your Excellency: Sussex Case Established. Information now in the possession of the Government of the United States fully establishes the facts in the case of the Sussex, and the ref- erences which m government has Ffrawn from that information it re- gards as confirmed by the circum- stances set forth in Your Excellen- cy's note of the 10th instant. On the 24th of March, 1916, at about 2:50 o'clock in the afternoon, the unarmed steamer Sussex, with 3 or more passengers on board, among whom were a number of American citizens, wvas torpedoed while crossing from Folkestone to Dieppe. The Sussex had never been armed: was a vessel known to be habitually used only for the conveyance of passengers aeross the English Channel, and was not following the route taken by troopships or supply ships. About cighty of her passengers, non-com- batants of all ages and sexes, in- wluding citizens of the United States, were killed or injured. A careful. detailed -and scrupulous- Iv impartial investigation hy naval and military officers of the United States has conclusively established tho faet that the Sussex was torpedoed without warning or summons to sur- | render, and that the torpedo by to a are by telegraph, to my govern- by in End to Attacks on Vessels Endangering American Live ilson to Berlin Demands an and payment of a suitable indemnity by the Imperial Government. But, though the attack upon the Sussex was manifestly indefensible and caused a loss of life so tragical as to make it stand forth as one of the most terrible examples of the in- humanity of submarine warfare as the commanders of German vessel are conducting it, it unhappily does not stand alone. On the contrary the Government of the United States is forcved by re- cent events to conclude that it is only one instance, even though one of the most extreme and most distress- ing instances, of the deliberate me- thod and spirit of indiscriminate de- struction of merchant vessels of all sorts, nationalities and destinations which have become more and more unmistakable as the activity of Ger- man undersea vessels of war has in recent months been quickened and extended. The Imperial Government will re- call that when, in February, 1915, it announced its intention of treating the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland as embraced within the seat of war and of destroying all merchant ships owned by its enemies that might be found within that zone of danger, and warned all vessels, neutral as well as belligerent, to keep out of the waters thus proscribed or to enter them at their peril, the Gov- ernment of the United States earnest- ly protested. It took. the position that such a policy could not be pur- sued without constant gross and pal- pable violationg of the accepted law of nations, particularly if submarine craft were to be employed as its in- struments, inasmuch as the rules prescribed by that law, rules found- ed on the principles of humanity and established for the protection of the lives of non-combatants at sea could not in the nature of the case be ob- served by such vessels. It based its protest on the ground that perso: of neutral nationality and vessels of neutral ownership would be exposed to extreme and intolerable risks: and which she was struck was of German wanufacture. Tn view of the Govern- ment of the United States these facts | from the first made | the conclusion | that the tornedo was fired by a Ger- man submarine unavoidable. Tt now considers that conclusion substaniat- ed by the statements of Your Excel- | leney’s note. A full statement of the facts upon which the government of the United States has based its con- clusion is inclosed. “\#The Government of the United” SH#ites, after having given careful con- sideration to the note of the Tmperial Government of fhié 10th of April, re- grets to state that. the impression made upon it by the statements and proposals contained in that note is that the Imperial Government . has failed to appreciate the gravity of | e situation which has resulted not one from the attack on the Sussex. but ‘from the whole method and character of submarine warfare as disclosed by the unrestrained prac- tice of the commanders of German undersea craft during the past twelve month and more in the indiscriminate destruction of merchant vessels of all sorts, nationalities and destina- wons. i | | | Sussex Not Only Case. If the sinking of the Sussex had been an isolated case the Govern- ment of the United States might find it possible to hone that the officer who was responsible for that act had Wilfully olated his orders or had been criminally negligent in taking none of the precautions they prescrib- ed, and that the ends of justice might be satisfied by imposing. upon him an adequate . punishment, coupled with a formal disavowal of the act OUR STORE WILL BE PEN ALL DAY FRIDAY, pril 21st HOLLANDERS' 82-88 Asylum Street, Hartford | Again and again the Imnperial Gov- that no right to close any part of the high seas could lawfully be as- serted by the Imperial Government in the circumstances then existing. Law Based on Human Principles. The law of nations in these mat- ters, upon which the Government of the United States based that protest. is not of recent origin or founded upon merely arbitrary principles set up by convention. It is based, on thre ‘contrary, ‘upon manifest princi- ples of humaniy and has long been stablished with the approval and by the express assent of all civilized na- tio: The Imperial Government, not- ithstanding, persisted in carrying out the policy announced, expressing the hope that the dangers involved, at any rate to neutral vessels, would te reduced to a minimum by the in- structions which it had issued to the commanders of its submarines and assuring the government of the United States that it would take cvery possible precaution both to re- spect the rights of neutrals and to safeguard the lives of non-comba- tants. In pursuance of this policy of sub- marine warfare against the com- merce of its adversaries, thus an- nounced and thus entered upon in despite of the solemn protest of the Government of the United States, the from neutral port to neutral port, have been destroyed, along with ves- sels of belligerent ownership, in con- stantly increasing numbers. ~Some- | times the merchantmen attacked | have been warned and summeoned to surrender before being fired on or torpedoed; sometimes their passen- gers and crews have been vouch- | safed the poor security of being al- icwed to take to the ship’s boats be- { fore the ship was sent to the bottom. ! But again and again no warning has been given, no escape even to the ship's boats allowed to those on board. Great liners like the Lusitania and | Arabic and mere passenger boats like | | the Sussex have been attacked with- | out a moment's warning, often be- tfore they have even become aware | that they were in the presence of an armed ship of the enemy, and the lives of non-combatants, passengers | and crew have been destroyed whole- cale and in a manner which the Gov- crnment of the United States cannot but regard as wanton and without the slightest color of justification. No limit of any kind has in fact been set to their indiscriminate pursuit and destruction of merchantmen of | all kinds and nationalities within the | waters which the Imperial Govern- | ment has chosen to designate as lying | within the seat of war. The roll of | Americans who have lost their lives | upon ships thus attacked and de- | stroyed has grown month by month, | until the ominous toll has mounted | into the hundreds. i The Government of the TUnited States has been very patient. At every stage of this distressing exper ence of tragedy after tragedy it has sought to be governed by the most thoughtful consideration of the e traordinary circumstances of an un- precedentel war and to be guided by sentiments of very genuine friend- | ship for the people and government | of Germany. It has accepted the | successive explanations and assur- ances of the Imperial Government, as of course given in entire sincerity and good faith, and has hoped, even | against hope, that it would prove to Dbe possible for the Imperial Govern- went, so to order and control the acts of its naval commanders as to square its policy with the recognized principles of humanity as embodied in the law of nations. It has made every allowance for unprecedented | conditions and has been willing to wait until the facts became un- mistakable and were susceptible of cnly one interpretation. Time Has Come to Halt. It now owes it to a just regard for its own rights to say to the Imperial Government that that time has come. It has become painfully evident to | ii that the position which it took at the very outset is inevitable, namely, the use of submarines for the de- struction of an enemy’s commerce is of necessity, because of the very char- acter of the vessels employed and the very methods of attack which thei cmployment of course involves, utter- ly incompatible with the principles of humanity, the long-established and incontrovertlble rights of neu- | trals, and the sacred immunities of non-combatants. If it is still the purpose of the Im- perial Government to prosecute re- | lentless and indiscriminate warfare | against vessels of commerce by the use of submarines, without regard to | what the Government of the United States must consider the sacred and indisputable rules of international law and the universally recognized dictates of humanity, the Government of the United States is at last forced to the conclusion that there is but one course it can pursue. Unless the Imperial Government should now immediately declare and effect an abandonment of its present methods of submarine warfare | against passenger and freight-carry- ing vessels, the Government of the TUnited States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relations with the German Empire altogether. This | commanders of the Imperial Govern- \ ment’s undersea vessels have carried on practices of such ruthless destruc- tion which have made it more and more evident as the months have gone by that the Imperial Govern- ment has found it impracticable to put any such restraint upon them as it had hoped and promised to put. ernment has given its solemn assur- ances to the Government of the United * States that at least'passen- ger ships would not be thus dealt with, and vet it has repeatedly per- mitted its undersea commanders to disregard those assurances with en- tire impunity. As recently as Febru- ary last it gave notice that it would regard all armed merchantmen owned by its enemies as part of the armed naval forces of its adversar and deal with them as with men-of- war, thus, at least by implication, pledging itself to give warning to vessels which were not armed and even to accord security of life to their passengers and crews; but even this limitation their submarine com- manders have recklessly ignored. Vessels of neutral ownership, even vessels of neutral ownership bound BEST TIME TO GAIN NEW FLESH Those Who are Thin and Pale Should Take Father John’s Medicine Now Experts agree action the Government of the United States contemplates with the greatest reluctance, but feels constrained to take in behalf of humanity and the rights of neutral nations. LANSING. Evidence in Sussex Oase. The appéndix to the note follows: Statement of facts in Sussex case, accompanying note to German gov- ernment of April 18, 1916. The IFrench channel steamer Sus- sex, employed regularly in passenger service between the ports of Folke- stone, England, and Dieppe, France, as it had been for years (French for- eign office) left Folkestone for Dieppe at 1:25 p. m., March 24, 1916, with 325 passengers and a crew of fifty- three -men. (Declaration of Captain Mouffet; Rear Admiral Grassett’s re- port.) The passengers, among whom were about twenty-five American citi- zens (telegram London embassy, March 25, and Paris embassy, March and 28) were of several nationali- ties and many of them were women and children and nearly half of them subjects of neutral states. (Report of Commander Sayles and Lieutenant Smith; Rear Admiral Grassett's re- port.) The Sussex carried no arma- ment (French foreign office; report of Commander Sayles and Lieutenant Smith; affidavits of American passen- gers,) has never been employed as a troopship, and was following a route not ‘'used for transporting troops from Great Britain to France. (British admiralty statement; French foreign | office.) The course alm Dungene steamer proceeded on its st due south after passing (Declaration of Captain that this is the season year up strength weight has been during the winter. Father John's Medi- cine is best for this purpose because it is made of pure and wholesome food elements which strengthen and build up those 10 the easily taken into the system. alcohol-or dangerous drugs. No’ of | and | that ! lost | who the weak and run down and are ' The weather was clear and the smooth. (Afidavits of Edna Hale, John H. Hearley, Gertrude W ‘Warren.) At 2:50 p. m., when the Sussex was about thirteen miles from Dungene: (declaration of Captain Mouffet,) the captain of the vessel, who was on the bridge, saw, about 150 meters from the ship, on the port side, the wake of a torpedo. (Declaration of Cap- | | tain Mouffet.) It was also seen very clearly by the first officer and the boatswain, who were with the captain on ‘the bridge. (Report of Rear Ad- | miral Grasset.) Tmmediately the cap- | | tain gave orders to port the helm and Mouffet. | Beer, was leaning on the port r: the stop the starhoard engine. (Declara- tion of Captain Mouffet,) the purpose being to swing the vessel to starboard S0 as to dodge the torpedo by allowing it to pass along the port bow on a line converging with the altered course of the steamer. Before, however, the vessel could be turned far enough to avoid crossing the course of the tor- pedo, the latter struck the hull at an angle a short distance forward of the bridge, exploded, destroyed the entire forward part of the steamer as far back as the first water-tight bulk- head, carried away the foremast with the wireless antennae, and killed or injured about eighty of the persons on board. (Declaration of Captain Mouffet; report of Rear Admiral Gras- set; report of Henn: Beer.) At the time no other vessel was in sight. (Affidavits of Samuel F. Bemis, T. W. Culbertson, John H. Hearley and others.) Approach of Torpedo. The approach of the torpedo witnessed by several other persons on the vessel. (Affidavits of Sam- uel F. Bemis, S. Beer, Ger- trude W. Warren.) One of these, an American citizen named Henry was Henry b about ten feet behind the bridge and gazing &eaward when he say the ap- proaching forpedo about 100 vyards away and exclaimed to his wife and companion: “A torpedo!” Imme- diately following his exclamation the missile struck the vessel. (Deposi- tions of Henry 8. Beer and Mr: Henry S. Beer.) In further corroboration of the fact that, the Captain saw the torpedo coming toward the vessel is the sworn statement of the engineers on duty that the order to port the helm and to stop the starboard engine was received and obeyed. (Report of Admiral Grasset.) No reasonable explanation can be given for this un- usual order other than that the Cap- tain saw something which caused him to change his course sharply to starboard. In addition to this evidence, would in itself appear to be clusive that the agent of destruction was a torpedo, that of Lieutenant Smith, U. 8. attached ~to = the American Embassy at Paris, who. accompanied by Major Logan, U. s. of the Embassy, went to Boulogne, inspected the hull of {he Sussex and personally found be- neath the mass of water-soaked de- bris of the wrec fifteen pieces of metal which they retained in their possession, as they did not believe the pieces formed part of the vessel. The inspection of the hull disclosed that the vessel was wrecked by an external explosion, the boilers being intact and that a short d nce for- ward of the bridge wa: a large dent, showing that the vessel had received a heavy blow, the direction of 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 9.) This evidence coincides with and corroborates the statement that the vessel was swinging to starboard and away from the torpedo when struck. The pieces of metal which the American officers had collected were compared by Lieutenant Smith, Lieu- tenant Commander Sayles and Ma- jor Logan with mines and plans of mines in possession of the French naval authorities at Boulogne Roche- fort, and Toulon, and British naval authorities at Portsmouth. These officers are positive in their opinion that these pieces of metal were not parts of a mine. (Report of Lieu- tenant Smith, cabled April and Among these fifteen pieces of metal were two screw-bolts showing the effects of an explosion which were stamped with “K” and “56” on faces of the head of one, and i and “58" on faces of the head of the other. On examining German torpedoes in the possession of the French naval which con- 9 authorities at Toulon, and of the English naval authorities found that identical screws were em- ployed to fasten the ‘‘war” head (Kopf) to the air chamber. (Lieu- tenant Smith’s reports, cabled April 2, 5, and 13.) Torpedo Identified. The screws used in French and Eng- lish torpedoes have no markings and are of a slightly different size. (Same reports.) Furthermore, the American officers were able by comparison and close examination to positively identi- fy and locate all the remaining pieces of metal as parts of a German torpedo, as follows: Fragment 3, part of inner seat of water relief valve of engine valve. Fragments 4 and 5, punto bands of engine room casing. Fragments 6 and 10, inclusive, and 12, parts of engine cylinders Fragments 11, 13, 14, 15, parts of steel warhead still bearing the dis- tinctive red paint common to German torpedo warheads. (Report of Lieu- tenant Smith, cabled April 5.) In view of these authenticated facts there can be no reasonable doubt but that the Sussex was torpedoed and that the torpedo was of German man- ufacture. As no vessel was seen by any person on the Sussex, the conclu- sion is irresistible that the torpedo was launched without warning from a submarine which was submerged at the time of the attack and remained beneath the surface after the explo- sion. The conclusion thus reached from the evidence (the affidavits being those of American citizens) collected by the department of state is substan- tiated by the statement in the imperial government’s note of April 10, 1916. According to those statements: (A) A German submarine torpe- doed a steamer one and one-half miles southeast of Bull Rock island. Department’s Comment—The point of attack was taken by the Sussex after passing Dungeness and about one-half mile from the place where the captain of the Sussex states he was torpedoed. (B) The attack took place at 3 o’clock p. m., Central Buropean time. Department’s Comment— p. m. Central European time would corre- spond to 2:55 p .m. Western Kuropean time. The time of the striking of the torpedo, according to the captain of s and the stopping of the Ik | While you smoke and after you smoke— COMFORT! You don’t care how good a cigarette may taste if, while you are smoking it, burns your tongue or “catches” you in your throat. Fatimas have a good thatcigarette other cigar [ taste but they don’t do that— they’ comfortable to the throat and tongue while you smoke them. And better yet, Fati- mas leave W D i re cool and That's NOW —an you feeling they are. clocks on hoard the ves! Pp. m. western time. (C) The torpedo when caused an explosion which the whole foreship up to the bridge. Department's Comment—The fore- part of the Su; wrecked as far back as the fir tertight bulkhead, according to the official reports. (D) The German submarine was submerged when the torpedo was launched, and there is no statement it struck tore away that it came to the surface after the | attack. Department's Comment—The clusion was reached that the subma- rine was submerged from the fact that no one on the Sussex saw a submarine, though the weather was fine. (E) No warning was given and no attempt was made to give one, since it is not mentioned. Department’s Comment—The evi- dence collected shows affirmatively no warning was given. (F) A sketch by the submarine commander of the steamer which he torpedoed does not agree with a pho- tograph of the Sussex in The London Graphic. 5 Department’s Comment—This sketch was apparenily made from memory of an observation of the vessel through a periscope. As the only difference noted by the commander, who relied on his memory, were the position of the smokestack and the shape of the stern, it is to be presumed the vessels were similar in other respects. (G) No other German submarines on that day attacked steamers in that locality, Department’s Comment—As no is reported to have been torpe- doed without warning by a submerg- ed submarine other than the Su . it heyond question that the vessel torpedoed by the submarine whose commander’s report is relied upon the note of April 10. LANSING. GOOD NEWS Many New Britain Readers Hsve Heard It and Profited Thereby “Goods news travels fast,” and many bad back sufferers in New B ain are glad to learn where ralief may be found. Many a lame, weak and aching back is bad no morve, thanks to Doan’s Kidney Pills. Our citizens are telling the good news of their experience with this tested reni- cdy. Here is an example worth read- ing: frs. Helen, Britain, savs: the 526 Church St., New : “One of my family has found Doan’s Kidney Pills good for kicney trouble. There is no bet- ter medicine to be had for pains across the small of the back; it always bring relief. It is a pleasure for me to rec- ommend Doan's Kidney Pilis.” Price 50c at all deale Don’t simply ask for a kidney rermedy—-get e Kidney Pills—the that N Helen - recomniends. Foster- Milburn Co.. Props., Buffale, N, Y. n's same con- | in | HRAG RIFLES FOR ' BOYS AT CHESHIRE {Tilson Would “Prepare” Inmates of State Reformatory Washington, April 20—The latest |form of ‘“preparedness” proposed preparedness for prison inmates. of Connect?- | cut today asked the war department | to supply 300 Krag rifles with which |10 equip military battalion that ;’heen organized in the state reforma- i tory at Cheshire, Mr, did this at the request of Capt. Henry B. member is | | Representative Tilson has Conn, Carter of Waterbury, who is of the Connecticut natio rguard and also parole officer of the reformator; Mr. Tilson hopes that the rifles will be furnished for the boys at the re- formatory to drill with. He believes !that the preparedness program at the reformatory will discipline and ben- | efit the inmate | The idea of supplying the inmates of a prison with dangerous weapons |is so novel as to have attracted con- | siderable attention in Washington. Ordinarily extreme precautions are taken to prevent prisoners from get- ting arms. It is said that if the Krag rifles are furnished by the govern- passed several year: | motion of rifle practice, the reforma- tory boys will probably not be sup- plied with loaded cartridges for the [ rifles. Arsenal Grows. Representative Tilson is adding to his arsenal of munitions, in prepar- ing for another speech in favor of preparedness, which he will make soon when the fortifications appro- priation bill comes up in He has an unloaded shell that weighs 108 pounds, which he will exhibit to his colleagues in illustrating his point that munitions can be made in any quantity desired at any time if Uncle Sam will only provide the gauges, jigs and other attachments with which to equip thousands of mills, machino shops and other throughout the country for the man- ufacture of munitions. Part of his arsenal Mr. Tilson keeps in his office lin the house office building, the rest in a room just off the house floor. In his coming speech Mr. Tilson will go into some detail on this sub- ject. The fortifications bill carries a million dollars to provide gauges, jigs, etc., for:the purposes proposed by Mr. Tilson, but the sum is not con- sidered any where near sufficient. Mr. [ 1 Tilson | | ment, as they may be under a law | 1g0 for the pro- | the house. | establishments | comfortable afterwards. You can smoke Fatimas more freely than any ette we know anything about without having any heavy or mean’’ feeling of having smoked too much. why they’re so SENSIBLE. Try Fatimas—right d prove for yourself how SENSIBLE | Tilson estimates that $20,000,00 ,000,000 would provide all appliances of this sort that wo needed in this country for the of unlimited quantities of shell other munitions. A, convention Flurry at D. R. Conventil The D. A. R. what upset by a controversy Natalie Lincoln, a &g cut woman, and Miss Florgnel | Finck, chairman of the ! committee of the D. A. R. Miss submitted a report to the convl today which charged that thei a deficit of 600 discovered her committee in connection wi publication of the magazine, tk cial, organ of the society, of | Miss Lincoln was editor. Some ago Miss Lincoln resigned thal on account of the affair. Shel i the convention to defend hers: Following a preliminary Te the controversy this mornfi report read by Mrs. Mary §. wood, chaplain general of the sl Mrs. Willi story, ident general, toth | vention that “there no b manager of the and the only salaried thy tor Reports that candidate for | were denied. BON'T FUsS WITH MUSTARD PLASTE | | Musterole Works Easier, Q | and Without the Bliste There’s no sense in mixing up | of mustard, flour and water whd | can so easily relieve pain, soren | stiffness with a little clean, white | TEROLE, i MUSTEROL made of pure} | mustard and other helpful ingrd combined in the form of a pleasan | ointment. It takes the place of tl date mustard plaster, and | blister! | MUSTEROLE gives prompt r 1 from Sore Throat, Bron‘c’h:tis{’T | | is ing Miss to Cummings announced magazine officer Miss Lincoln re-election “as Croup, Stiff Neck, Asthma, Ne Headache, Congestion, Pleurisy, matism, Lumbago, Pains and Ac] the Back or Joints, Sprains, Sord cles, Bruises, Chilblains, Frostes Colds of the Chest (it often pi Pneumonia). At your druggist’s, in 25¢ and 50 and a special large hospital size for Be sure you get the genuine | TEROLE. Refuse imitation | you ask for. The Musterole Cleveland, Ohio.