Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-06-18

Robert Lansing, acting secretary of
state, signed the second American note
to Germany.
than the rights of humanity, which
every government honors itself in re-
specti1g and which no government ia
justified in resigning on behalf of those
under its care n authority.
Lusitania Attack unjustifed.
Only her actual resistance to cap
ture or refusal to stop when ordered
to do SO for the purpose of visit could
have afforded the commander of the
submarine any justification for so
much as putting the lives of those on
board the ship in jeopardy. This prin.
ciple, the government of the United
States understands, the explicit in
structions issued on August 3, 1914,
by the Imperial German admiralty to
its commanders at sea, to have recog-
nized and embodied, as do the naval
codes of all other nations, and upon it
every traveller and seaman had a right
to depend. 1t is upon this principle of
humanity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States must stand.
U. S. Would Serve World.
The government of the United
States is happy to observe thaty your
excellency's note closes with the in
timation that the imperial German
government is willing, now as before,
to accept the good offices of the
United States in an attempt to come
to an understanding with the govern
ment of Great Britain by which the
character and conditions of TIE war
upon the sea may be changed. The
government of the United States would
consider it a privilege thus TO serve
Its friends and the world. 1t stands
ready at any time to convey to either
government any intimation or sugges-
ton the other may be willing to have
it convey and cordially invites the i'm
perial German government to make
use OF its services in his way at its
convenience. The whole world Ia
concerned in anything that NAV bring
about even a partial accommodation
of interests or in any way mitigate
the terrors of the present distressing
conflict.
Vindication of Justice Expected.
In the meantime, whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be-
tween the parties to the war, and
whatever may in the opinion of the
imperial German government have
been the provocation or the circum-
stantial justification for the past acts
OF its commanders at sea, the govern
ment Of the United States confidently
ook to see the justice and humanity
OF the government of Germany vindi-
Gated in all cases where Americans
have been wropged or their rights as
neutrals invaded.
The government of the United
States therefore earnestly and very
solemnly renews the representations
OF its note transmitted to the imperial
German government on the 18th of
May, and relies in these representa-
tions upon the principles of humanity.
the universally recognized under
standings of international law and the
ancient friendship of the German ma
ton.
American Rights Upheld.
THE government of the United
States cannot admit that the proclama.
ton of a war Zone from which neu-
trail ships have been warned 10 keen
away may be made to operate as in
any degree ar abbreviation Of the
rights either of American shipmasters
or of American citizens bound on law
full rrands as passengers on merchant
ships of belligerent nationality, It
does not understand the imperial Ger.
man government to question those
rights. 1t understands it, also. tn ac.
cept, as established beyond question.
the principle that the lives of non.
combatants cannot lawfully or right.
fully be put in jeopardy by he caD-
ture or destruction of an unresisting
merchantmen, and to cogn the
obligation to take sufficient p~recaution
to ascertain whether a suspected mer.
chantman Is In fact of belligerent ma
tionality or is in fact carrying contra,
band OF war under a neutral dag. The
government of the United States there.
fore deems 1t reasonable to expect thar
the imperial German will
adopt the measure necessary 81 nrt
these principles into practice in re.
spect of the safeguarding of Amer;-
can lives and American shins and
asks for assurances that this vii, he
done.
ROBERT LANSING.
oscrelary OF State ad interim"