The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-07-17

the interests Of neutrs might su,sr
from the submarine arfare. IN ~,
ever. the American vernment WI
also understand and{appreciats tnA.
In the fight for exttence whea n1s
been forced upon Germany b, its az
versaries and anpbunced b. tnem. II
\ Ia the sacred dutyof the in9efiai gov
ernment to do al within $ power 70
protect and save the live OF GERMAN
subjects.
Enemies Blamed for i'sltanaa Horror.
If the imperial pTernment were
derelict In these, is duties. II ~oulo
be guilty before cd and history OF
| the violation of hose principles OF
highest humap1p which are the foun-
dation OF ever national existence.
"The case II the Lusitania shows
with horrthls clearness to what jeop-
ardixine 5Jhuman lives the manner Of
conducttnf war employed by our ad-
yersarips leads. In the most direct
contrsdition Of international law. all
disti1e on between merchantmen and
| war essels has been obliterated BY
| th1 ader to British merchantmen to
arm themselves and to ram subma-
.i1,s and the promise Of rewards
rarefor. and neutrals who use mer-
.aantmen as travellers thereby have
oeen exposed in an increasing degree
to all the dangers Of war.
'If the commander Of the German
which destroyed the Lusi-
tania had caused the crew and pas
sengers to take to the boats before
firing . torpedo, this would have
meant the sure destruction of his own
vessel After the experiences in sink
nrf v
v ,ssels, 1t was to be expected that q
mighty ship like the Lusitania would
remain above water long enough even
after the torpedoing to permit pas
sengers to enter the ships boats.
Explosion Hastened Destruction.
Circumstances of a very peculiar
kind, especially the presence on
board of large quantities of highly ex-
tation.
In addition it may be pointed out
that II the LusitAnia had been spared
thousands of cases OF munitions would
have been sent to Germany's enemies
and thereby thousands of German
mothers and children robbed of bread
winners.
In the spirit OF friendship where
bued toward the Union and its inha bi-
tants since the earliest days of its ex-
istence, the imperial government will
always be ready to do all it can dur
ing the present war also to prevent
the jeopardizing Of lives of American
citizens. The imperial government.
therefore, repeats the assurances that
American ships will not be hindered
in the prosecution Of legitimate ship
ping and the lives of American citi-
Zens in neutral vessels shall not be
placed in jeopardy.
In order to exclude any unforeseen
dangers to American passenger steam
ers, made possible in view OF the con-
duct OF maritime war by Germany's
adversaries, German submarines will
be instructed to permit the free and
safe passage of such passenger steam
ers, when made recognizab BILE by spe.
clal markings and notified reason
able time in advance
The imperial government, however,
confidently hopes that the American
government will assume to guarantee
that these vessels have no contraban
on board, details of arrangement for
the unhampered passage of these ves-
sells to be agreed upon by the naval
authorities OF both sides.
Suffered on Enemy's Ships.
I'm order to furnish adequate Ia
cilities for travel across the Atlantic
for American citizens, the German
government submits for consideration
proposal to increase the number of
available steamers by installing in
passenger service reasonable num-
ber OF neutral steamers, under the
American flag, the exact number to
be agreed upon under the same con-
dition as the above mentioned Ameri-
can steamers.
The imperial government believes
it can assume that in this manner ade-
quate facilities for travel across the
Atlantic ocean can be afforded Ameri-
can citizens. There would. therefore,
appear to be no compelling necessity
for American citizens to travel to Eu-
rope in time of war on ships larry
ing an enemy flag.
In particular the imperial gov
ernment is unable to admit that
American citizens can protect an
enemy ship through the mere fact
of their presence on board.
Germany merely followed Eng
lduu example Wnen Sne declared
part of the high sea an area of war.
Consequently, accidents suffered by
neutrals on enemy ships in this area
OF war cannot well be judged differ
emily from accidents to which neu-
trails are at all times exposed at the
seat of war on land when they be-
take themselves into dangerous To-
calities in spite Of previous warn
ings
"1f, however. it should not be pos
sible for the American government to
require an adequate number of neu.
trail passenger steamers, the imperial
government is prepared to interpose
no objections to the placing under the
American flag by the American gov
ernment of four enemy passenger
steamers for passenger traffic ha.