Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1915-07-29


naval commanders. Illegal and inhu-
man se:s. however iustifabis they may
be thought to be against an enemy who
is believed to have acted IN contra
veufion Of Law and humanity. are man
ifcstiy indefensibls vhsn they deprive
neutrals OF their acknowledged rights.
particularly when they violate the
right to life itself.
III q belligerens cannot retaiiate
against an enemy without injuring the
lives Of nsutrAis. ~ we'll as their prop
erty. humanity ~ well ~ Justice and a
due regard for the dignity OF neutral
powers. should dictate that the prac-
tice bc discontinued. n persisted In n
would In such circumstances constitute
an unpardonabie offense against the
sovereignty OF the neutral nation af-
fected.
The government Of the United
States IL not unmindful OF the extra.
ordinary conditions created by this
war or Of the radical alterations OF cir.
cumstanees and method OF attack pro-
duced by the use Of instrumentalities
Of naval warfare which the nations Of
the world cannot have had In view
when the existing rules OF interna-
tional law were formulated and II Is
ready to make every reasonable allow
ance for these novel and unexpected
aspects Of war at sea; but II cannot
consent to abate any essential or fun
damsntsl right OF Its people because Of
. mere alteration OF circumstance. The
rights Of neutrals in time Of war are
based upon principle. not upon expe-
diency. and the principles are immuta-
BILE. II is the duty and obligation Of
belligerents to ind . way to adapt the
new circumstances TO them.
Rsparation For Lusitania.
The events Of the past two months
have clearly indicated that It is posi-.
BILE and practicable to conduct such
submarine operations as have charac-
terized the activity Of the imperial
German navy within the so-cailed war
zone In substantial accord with the ae-
cepted practices Of regulated warfare.
The whole world has looked with in
terest and Increasing satisfaction at
the demonstration OF that possibility
BY German naval commanders. II is
manifestly possible. therefore. to lift
the whole practice Of submarine at
tack above the criticism which 1t has
aroused and remove the chief cause Of
offense.
In view Of the admission Of Illegal.
ity made by the imperial German gov
ernment when 1t pleaded the right Of
retaliation in defense Of its acts, and
In view Of the manifest possibility OF
conforming TO the established rules Cf
naval warfare. the government Of the
United States cannot believe that the
imperial government will longer re.
frain from disavowing the wanton act
OF its naval commander In sinking the
Lusitania or from offering reparation
for the American lives lost. SO far az
reparation can be made for needless
destruction OF human life by an ille
gal act
The government OF the Unite<
States. while not indifferent to tn,
friendly spirit In which II Il made
cannot accspt the suggestion Of IN
| tnpoFia1 German govesnment that cel
tain vessels be designated and agree
upon which shall be free upon tn
seas nov Illegally prescribed Tn
very Agreement would. by implication
subject other vessels to Illegal attacl
and would be . curtailment and, there
fore. an abandonment OF the principles
for which this government contends
and which In times Of calmer counseii
every nation would concede as a mat
ter Of course.
Deliberately unfriendIy."
The government of the United
States and the imperial German gov
eminent are contending for the same
great object, have long stood together
In urging the very principles upon
which the government Of the United
States now 90 solemnly insists. They
are both contending for the freedom
Of the seas. The government Of the
United States viii continue to contend
for that freedom, from whichever
quarter violated, without compromis.
and at any cost. II invites the practi
cal cooperation Of the imperial Ger
man government at this time wher
cooperation may accomplish most. ant
this common object be most strikingi,
and effectively achieved.
The imperial German government
expresses the hope that this obiec
may In some measure be accomplished
even before the present war ends. !
can be. The government Of the Unite'
States not only feels Obliged to insis
upon IL, by whomsoever violated O
ignored. in the protection OF its owi
citizens. but Is also deeply intereste'
In seeing 1t made practicable betweel
the belligerents themselves. and hold
itself ready at any time to act as tn
common friend who may be privileges
to suggest q way.
I'm the meantime. the very vaiu
which this government sets upon tn
long and unbroken friendship betweel
the people and government OF tn
United States and the people and go,
ernment OF the German nation impei
1t to press very solemnly upon the ir
perial German government the neces
sity for a scrupulous observance Q
neutral rights In this critical matter
Friendship itself prompts It to say I
the imperial German government tina
repetition by the commanders Of Gel
man naval vessels of acts In contr1
vention OF those rights must be n
garded by the government Of tn
United States. when they affect Amel
lean citizens. as deliberately u,
friendly. LANSING"
4 No Sympathy Vote.
| I,ondon.-The trade unionists q
Great Britain have dismissed wit
contumely the suggestion that vot
| OF sympathy be given their Germa
fellow unionists in trade. Drop sue