The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-11
Climax Of German Diplomacy.

The first sentence of the German note insults
our national intelligence by proclaiming that 1t
is reply to this governments communication OF
June 9. In that greatest of state papers written
by Woodrow Wilson he protested against the
sinking of the Lusitania, when men, women, and
children sent to their death in circumstances
unparalleled in modern warfare, and commended
for nothing less high and sacred than the rights
of humanity" And to this the German note in
satirical erontery responds that "the case of the
Lusitania shows with horrible clearness to what
jeopardizing of human lives the manner of con-
Quoting employed by our adversaries leads"
Great Britain that has yet to shed drop of blood
OF a noncombatant the seas, is the real Of
fender! Germany is in no measure responsible
for those thousand lives, more than 100 those of
American men, women, and children; her torpe-
does ready for another Lusitana, and if there
are Americans board it will be their own fault.
From out the of oblivion, evasion and
hypocrisy stands single proposal Americans
may travel on the high under certain condi-
tons prescribed by Germany, if the government
OF the United States agrees. President Wilson
wrote:
The government of the United States cannot
admit that the proclamation of zone from
which neutral ships have been warned to keep
away may be made to operate in any degree
abbreviation of the rights either of American
shpmasters or OF American citizens bound on
lawful errands as passengers merchant ships
OF belligerent nationality 1t does not understand
the imperial German government to question
those rights.
The imperial German government does not
question these rights it denies them, and in effect
pronounces the penalty OF death for attempt to
assert them. But Americans may sail in safety
in certain number OF ships flying the American
flag and specially marked for Gcrmany's indenti-
fcation, provided Germany is notified "a
able time in advance" and provided the cargoes
of these vessels are acceptable to Germany The
tone OF the note indicates that Germany advances
this proposal a concession, but the United
States possesses all these rights today and Amer-
cans will not submit to being told how many Of
their merchantmen flying their flag may sail the
and what they may carry. Ships under
the American flag may carry passengers and con-
traband of war together, and il Germany takes
the life OF one on board it is murder, as it was
murder in the of the Lusitanias thousand
Germany may confscate the contraband. but she
may murder, though that is, in effect, her
claim. Germany would require that
chantmcn be operated at a financial loss, to
for American travellers the privilege of not
being murdered on the high seas. This is the
proposal she makes in the apparent expectation
that it will result in renewal OF negotiations
and the ultimate abandonment OF our contention
for the high and sacred rights of humanity
This, with the yelled attempt to secure the CO.
operation OF this government in wrestling the
advantage of supremacy from the allied
bclligercnts, is all there is to the German note.
1t emphasizes the utter hopelcssness of further
diplomatic exchanges. President Wilson has to
decide between the abandonment OF his lofty posi-
ton in defense of humanity, civilization, and the
rights OF Americans, and an ultimatum that he
must be prepared to sustain.