Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-06-18

self TO be in possession Of convincing
evidence that the officials OF the gov
eminent of the United States dc not
perform these duties with thorough
ness, the government OF the United
States sincerely hopes that 1t will
submit that evidence for cOnsidera
ton.
Arguments Irrelevant.
Whatever may be the contention OF
the imperial German government re-
garding the carriage Of cOntraband Of
war on board the Lusitania or regard
ing the explosion of Snat material by
the torpedo, Il need only be said that
in the view Of this government these
contentious are irrelevant TO the ques-
ton OF the legality of the methods
used by the German naval authorities
in sinking that vessel.
but the sinking of passenger ships
involves principles OF humanity which
throw into the background any special
circumstances Of detail that may be
thought to affect the cases, principles
which lift It, as the imperial govern
ment will mo- dOubt be quick to Fecog
nize and acknowledge, out Of the class
OF ordinary subjects of diplomatic dis
cussion or Of international contro-
versy.
"Whatever be The other facts re-
garding the Lusitania, the principal
fact is that q great steamer, primarily
and chiefly conveyance for passen-
gers and carrying more than q thou
sand souls who had no part or lot In
the conduct Of the war, was torpedoed
and sunk without so much rs chal-
lenge or warning, and that men.
women and children were sent to
their death in circumstances unparal.
leled In modern warfare. The fact
that more than one hundred Amer
lean citizens were among those who
persisted make IL the duty of the gov.
eminent OF the United States to speak
Of these things and once more, with
solemn emphasis, to call the attention
Of the imperial German government
to the grave responsibility which the
government of the United States con-
ceives that 1t has incurred in this
tragic occurrence, and to the indis-
putable principle upon which that re-
spOnsihility rests.
"The government Of the United
States Is contending for something
much greater than mere rights OF
property or privileges Of commerce.
It Is contending for nothing less high
and sacred than the rights Of human.
ity, which every government honOrs
itself In respecting and which no gov.
eminent is justified In resigning on
behalf OF those under its care and au-
thority. Only her actual resistance to
capture or refusal to stop when or
dered to do so for the purpose Of visit
could have afforded the commander
- A1sA 4SxcAFAaokenva
for SO much as putting the lives of
those on board the ship IN jeopardy.
This principle the government of the
United States understands the explicit
instructions issued ON August 3, 1914,
by the imperial German admiralty tn
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 has q
right to depend. 1t is upon this prin-
ciple OF humanity as wen as upon the
law founded upon this principle that
the United States must stand.
Offer OF Services.
"The government of the United
States ID happy to observe that your
excellency's note closes with the anti
nation that the imperial German gov
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accept the good offices Of the United
States in an attempt to come to an
understanding with the government Of
Great Britain by which the character
and conditions OF the war upon the
sea may be changed. The government
OF the United States would consider
1t a privilege thus TO serve Its friends
and the world. It stands ready at any
time to convey to either government
any intimation or suggestion the other
may be willing to have 1t convey and
cordially invites the imperial German
government to make use of its serv
ices tn this way at its convenience
The whole world Is concerned In any
thing that may bring about even a par
tial accommodation of interests or In
any way mitigate the terroTs of the
present distressing conflict.
Elm the meantime, whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be-
tween the parties to the war, and
whatever may In the opinion ne 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
looks to see the justice and humanity
of the government of Germany undi
Gated in all cases where Americans
have been wronged or their rights as
neutrals invaded.
THE government of the United
States therefore very earnestly and
very solemnly renews the representa-.
tons Of its note transmitted to the
imperial German government on the
18th Of May, and relies in these rep
reservations upon the principles of
humanity, the universally recognized
understandings of international law
and the ancient friendship OF the Ger.
man nation.
Assertion Of Riehts.
1.-THE government of the United
States cannot admit that the procla.
nation of a war zone from which
neutral ships have been warned to
keep away may be made to operate as
In any degree an abbreviation Of the
rights either Of American shipmasters
or of American citizens bound on law.
full pyramids as passengers on merchant
ships OF belfigerent nationality. II
does not understand the imperial Ger.
man government to question those
rights. II understands it also To &C
cept as established beyond question
the principle that the lives OF non
eombatants cannot lawfully or right
fully be put in Jeopardy by the cap
ture or destruction of an unresistine
merchantmen, and to recognize the