The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-05-18
Indiana Representative Holds
Blame For american Deaths
Rests With Victims &
GERMANY WARNED WORLD
THAT SHE WOULD STRIKE
cunarder Carried Ammunition
t. and other contraband and
Was BeIligerent Vessel

.H
Representative W. A. Cullop Of In
diana holds that responsibility for the
deaths Of Americans in the loss of the
Lusitania Is upon their own heads.
He believes this for three reasons
Germany had warned the world not q
travel in British ships through the
"!war zone" about the British Isles;
the Lusitania was an enemy ship; she
was carrying ammunition. 3 a%tr NJ
ttI should be glad to speak on the
Lusitania," said the representative
"but wish to speak carefully and
to be heard carefully, because do not
stand as most do.' y
Mr.. Cullop confined himself to dis.
cussing the status Of American citizens
only, aud the reporter confined himself
to questions on them only, because the
loss of British lives, while deplorable,
does not affeet the United States as 0
nation, however its feeling may be.
Germany Warned World
Germany warned the whole world, %
Mr.. Cpllop argued. "She warned
Americans particularly against the Lni
sitania. Advertisements were printed
In American newspapers. If a man
walks up 10 the cannon mouth, he IL
to blame for the loss of his life.
'NLet us suppose that you are work.
ing in q mans shop. He warns You
against piece of machinery; tellP
you not to go near it. You 90 and are
hurt! Who is to blamef"
i,"Many would not agree said the
reporter. "They would argue this:
Suppose / warned you to remain of
the street under penalty of being shot;
Won go ON the street; 1 shoot you,
What then3n
This was stated for Mr.. Cullop' g con.
alteration because it seems to be the
argument most commonly advanced in
reply to the German assertion that the
passengers Of the Lusitania were
warned, and, so far as is known, also
seems 70 be; the ,sttitude Of the. Anisri
can government, that Germany had no
t'"ht TO warn Americans from merchant
ships. ...r = d
Mr. cullop Comes Back ''.
Suppose, however, that it was an
cnemvs conveyance that | was in, y
Mr.. Cullop replied. =, . -.
He made his position clear that he
believes Germany had the right to warn
Passengers and that she had the right
to sink the. Lusitania. .., - y,
sit is true that nothing like this
has been done in warfare,p' he con
tinued. But many new things are
being done, British and French avi
Ptors, as well as German, are lombard
ing towns and cities where innocent
men and women and children, non bel
hgerents, are. Is the sinking of the
Lusitania worse than thisf Dum-dum
bullets are being used: they have not
teen used before. Since the ages of
! arbarism. and, indeed, not then, moth
ing like this war has been known.
Lusitania BeIllgerent Ship
T. THE Lusitania was a belligerent
chip. She was not armed, / grant, but
she was carrying munitions of war.
see that she had ammunition. She also
had copper, you sayi Copper is con.
traband of war. j
Remember that England has
stopped traffic to Germany 80 far as
she could, and not only contraband of
war, but foodstuffs and cotton; besides,
she has stopped trade with neutral
ports where there was reason to believe
the goods were intended in reality for
Germany, Germany's submarine block"
ade Is an answer to this
ttEngland should send gunboats with
her merchant ships to protect them.
e,nT feel that this is a terrible thing.
bnt 1t seems to me that the passengers
are responsible.r'
No Serious Crisis ,
'HDo You anticipate any serious cri.
sis between the United States and Ger.
many over tho Lusitania and the loss
OF American livesf" Mr.. Cullop was
asked. ..... 'r.r B." ~ +E
f'No; l. do not President Wilson
will bring the country through this. /
believe negotiations will lead to an
agreement whereby ships not carrying
contra band of war and passenger ship
will be permitted to travel without
mOlestatiOn.
LIDO you think this will apply both
to England and to Germany" he was
asked ,'.
''Yes,'' was his reply. ~ believe
both nations may be brought to with.
draw from their attitude.
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