File No. 841.857L97/8
The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 11, 1.10 p. m.]
2205. The following given me this morning by Von Jagow who said German wireless not working. As first given stated that plan of starving civil population had forced Germany resort to retaliatory measures. I said if foodstuffs for civilian population would mean end of submarine war of this kind I thought matter could be arranged in twenty-four hours. He then took paper back and returned it with words “preventing importation foodstuffs and raw materials for civilian population” inserted, and words “starving civil population” erased, and words “in case this plan be given up” instead of “in case starvation plan be given up.” Document as finally given follows:
German Embassy, Washington.
Please communicate to State Department following:
German Government desires to express deepest sympathy at loss of American lives on board steamship Lusitania. Responsibility rests, however, with British Government which, through plan preventing importation foodstuffs and raw materials for civilian population, forced Germany resort to retaliatory measures, and answered German offer to stop submarine war in case this plan be given up by even more stringent blockade measures. British merchant vessels being generally armed with guns and having repeatedly tried to ram German submarines so that previous search impossible, can not be treated as ordinary merchant vessels. Recent declaration in British Parliament by Parliamentary Secretary, answering question of Lord Beresford, stated at present practically all British merchant vessels armed and provided with hand grenades. Besides openly admitted by English press that Lusitania was armed, Germany knows that Lusitania on previous voyages repeatedly carried large quantities war material. On present voyage Lusitania carried 5,400 cases of ammunition; rest of cargo also chiefly contraband. If England, after repeated official and unofficial German warnings, considered herself able to declare that boat ran no risk and thus lightheartedly assumed responsibility for human lives on board of steamer which owing to armament and cargo was liable to destruction, German Government, in spite of heartfelt sympathy for loss of American lives, can not but regret that Americans felt more inclined to trust English promises rather than pay attention to warnings from the German side.
Gerard