The Holly chieftain., 1915-06-18
Information Held by America,

Information Held by America.
Fortunately, these are matters con-
cerning which the government of the
United States is in a position to give
the imperial German government Of
ficial information.
OF the facts alleged in your excel
lency's note, if true, the government
of the United States would have been
bound to take official cognizance in
performing its recognized duty as a
neutral power and in enforcing its
national laws.
1t was its duty to see to it that the
Lusitania was not armed for offens-
i've action; that she was not serving
as a transport; that she did not carry
cargo prohibited by the statutes of
the United States and that, if in fact
she was a naval vessel of Great Brit
ain she should not receive clearance
as merchantmen: and it performed
that duty and enforced it's statutes
with scrupulous vigilance through its
| regularly constituted officials.
Submission Of Evidence Suggested.
1t is able, therefore. to assure the
imperial German government that it
has been misinformed. If the imperial
German government should deem it's.
self to be in possession of convincing
evidence that the officials of the gov
ernment of the United States did not
perform these duties with thorough
ness, the government of the United
States sincerely hopes that it will
| submit that evidence for considera
| tion.
| Whatever may be the contentious
| Nf ;o1 :
regarding the carriage of contraband
of war on board the Lusitania or re-
garding the explosion of that material
by the torpedo, it need only be said
| that in the view Of this government
these contentious are irrelevant to
the question of the legality of the
methods used by the German naval
authorities in sinking that vessel. But
the sinking of passenger ships ip-
wolves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any special
circumstances of detail that may be
thought to affect the cases, princi-
Pies which lift it, as the imperial
government will no doubt be quick
to recognize and acknowledge, out of
the class or ordinary subjects of dip
lomatic discussions or of international
controversy.
Whatever be the other facts regard
ing the Lusitania, the principal fact
is that great steamer, primarily and
chiefly a conveyance for passengers,
and carrying more than a thousand
souls who had no part or lot in the
| conduct of the war, was torpedoed and
sunk without SO much as a challenge
or a warning, and that men, women
| and children were sent to their death
in circumstances unparalleled in mod.
| ern warfare
The fact that more than one hun.
| dred American citizens were among
those who perished, made 1t the duty
| of the government OF the United
/ States to speak of these things and
once more. with solemn emphasis, to
call the attention of the imperial Ger.
man government to the grave respon.
sibility which the government of the
United States conceives that 1t has in.
Cured in this tragic occurrence, and
to the indisputable principle upon
which that responsibility rests.
America Contends for all Humanity
The government of the United
States is contending for something
much greater than mere rights OF
property or privileges of commerce
1t 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
ernment is justified in resigning on
behalf Of those under it's care and
authority.
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.