The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-12

NOuiu leHU III the UlreCtlOn OF war.
MY fear has been that tho German
Government might. despairing of n
friendly settlement, break of diplomatic
relations and thus create a condition out
of which war might come without the
intention of either country.
II do not ask you to minimize the
earnestness of the Presidents statement
that would be unfair both TO him and
to Germany. The sinking OF the Lusi-
tania cannot be defended upon the facts
as we understand them. The killing Of
innocent women and children cannot be
justified. whether the killing Is by
drowning or starving no nation can
successfully plead the inhumanity OF her
enemies as an excuse for inhumanity on
her own part.
While 1t Is true that cruelty IL apt
to beget cruelty. 1t annot be said that
Xix cures like Even in war We are
not absolved from the obligation to
remedy evils by the influence of a good
example. Let our light so shine Is a
precept that knows no times nor sea-
sons. as 1t knows neither latitude nor
longitude.
Don't Mix the Issues.
"Third-Do not attempt to connect the
negotiations which are going on between
the United States n with
those between the United States and
Great Britain. The cases are different,
hut even II they were the same IL would
be necessary to treat with each nation
separately.
MY personal preference has been to
repeat our insistence that the Allies
shall not Interfere with our commerce
with neutral countries. but the differ
ence on this point was q matter of judg-
ment n not a matter of principle. In
the note to Great Britain dated March
80 this Government said
I'm view OF these assurances formally
given to this Government IL Is conf
IDENTIFY expected that the extensive pow
crs conferred by the Order in Council on
the executive officers OF the crown will
be restricted by orders issued by the
Government directing the exercise OF
their discretionary powers in such a
manner as to modify in practical appli-
cation those provisions of the order In
Council which II strictly enforced would
violate neutral rights and interrupt le-
Ultimate trade. Relying on the faithful
performance OF these voluntary assur-
ances by his Majesty's Government the
United states takes IL for granted that
the approach OF American merchantmen
to neutral porn' situated upon the long
line OF coast affected by the order In
- AA'A ~ I Z W " III
/; Is known that they do not carry goods
which are contrahand NJ war or goods
destined to or proceeding from ports
within the belliCerent territory affected.
There Is no doubt that ,ur Govern
ment will insist upon this position that
is an important thing. the exact date OF
the note is not material. My reason for
desiring TO have the matter presented L.
Great Britain at once was not that Ger.
V--.. Il 1T. f
cause | was anxious to make ii as easy
as possible for ,;erinanv 10 ACCEPT the
demands Of the United states and cease
to employ submarines against merchant.
men.
There Is no reason WHY any German
American should doubt the Presidents
intentions in this matter. I am sure
that every one will on reflection rccog.
nize that our duty to prevent loss of III.
is more urgent than our duty 10 prevent
interference-loss Of trade can he com,
pensated for with money. but no settle.
ment hat IN. United States and Ger
many may reach can call back To NJ.
those who went down with the Lusitani.
and war would he the mos; expensive
OF all settlements because IL could enor
mously add TO the number OF the dead.
Hopes Germany VIII Acquiesce.
FOURTH hope that Germany vii
ac1uiesce in the demands that have beer
' made and I hope that she will acquiesc.
in them without conditions. She car
trust the United States 10 heal justl!
with her in the consideration Of any
charges that she may propose In the In
teruatlonal rules that govern the takin.
Of prizes.
The more generously she acts in thi,
. -, ~. -,1, ,nt11 A.. ~. 49,.
which she will derive from II. She ha
raised Il question which is now reccivin.
serious consideration namely. whethe
the Introduction of the submarine neces
states any change in the rules govern
ing the capture OF prizes.
THE position seemingly taken by Ger
many. namely, that she Is entitled &
drown non-comhatants becausn they rid
with cortrahaud. is an u%ntcnahle posi-
ton the most that she could insist upol
l. that. In view OF the introduction O
this new weapon Of warfare. new rule
should be- adopted separating passen
gers from objectionable large
III the use Of the subj ar'ne justifc
such a change In the law of hloCkad
az viii permit the Gordon I be with
drawn far enough from the shore I
avoid the DANCE of submarine attack
may Il not he found possible to secur
an internati nal agreement by whiC
PASSENGERS will be excluded from ship
carrying C~ontrahand or at least fror
those carrying ammunition
at would require but a slight chang
In the shipping laws t. make this scpa
ration. and belligerent nations might h
restrained from unnecessarily increas
ing the contra band list II they wer
con PEELED to carry contrahand on trans
ports as they now carry troops.
Against the New Weapons.
personally would like TO see the us
OF submarines abandoned entirely. Jus
|, as | would like TO see AN ~abandonmer
! az the use OF acroplanes and Zeppelin
! for the carrying OF explosives. hut ! al
: not %sanguine enough to believe that an
} effective instrument OF warfare will b
, abandoned as long as war continues.
, THE very arguments which the ac
vocates Of peace advance against n
I submarine. the aer plane II the ZeI
pelin are advanced In favor Of them h
those who conduct war. The more fat
3 u weapon Is the more II IL in deman'
! and Il Is not an unusual thing 10 Sc"
[, new instrument I destruction dcnounco
as inhulan by those AGAINST whom 1t
! employed, only to he employed later /
, those who only a little while before d.
= uOunced II.
"The above suggestions are resncc
: fully submitted to those of German hirt
or descent. and they are submitted In ~
, same spirit to naturalized citizens fro
9 other countries.
. ITO the naturalized citizen this is Il
!. land Of adoption. but in one sense