Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-11
The Law Of the Iusitan mia Case.
New York Times)

e.
The rule Of mercy to the crew and
passengers Of captured merchant
ships Of the enemy rests upon the uni
versal principle that the operations of
war are carried on against armed
forces, not against the enemy's peace
able citizens or subjects, certainly
never against neutrals. 1t rests upon
the principle Of the instructions for
the government of the armies of the
United States in the field during the
Civil war, code prepared by DR..
Lietef, and revised by the hand Of
Abraham Lincoln, in which it declared
that men in arms remain moral be-
ings responsible to one another and
to God" Germany snapped her i'm
gers al the laws of war and at the
law of morality when she did this deed
of blood. She put herself outside the
domain of law, and it is frequent
comment upon her behavior that by
that act she confessed herself to be an
outlaw nation. We know now how She
makes war, how she intends to make
war-that discussion is ended. Had
we known on August ] what is now
made SO painfully clear to us we should
beyond doubt have taken different
course. We passed over in silence the
lawless violence and carnage visited
upon Belgium by the German invader,
although many prominent Americans
insisted that We should then have reg
istered our firm protest against cruel
spoilation in violation Of neutral rights
under treaty signed by the spoller. We
should have protested, doubtless,
against the promiscuous sowing OF
mines in the North Sea by Germany,
we should have shown less forbearance
in the cases Of the Frye and the Cush-
ing, the Falaba and the Gulfiight.
Now that we are warned that Ger
many has resolved to make war in dis
regard of the laws Of God and man.
like a Malay running amuck, we know
what TO dc. The time for protests has
passed. 1t becomes now our duty as a
nation TO demand that Germany shall
find means to carry on her war with
out putting our citizens to death. Ii Is
a demand in which other neutral ma
tons will have the right to join, for
aboard the Lusitania there We're
Danes, Swedes, Greeks, Italians and
other neutrals. II may be said that IN
this demand We should call upon Ger
many TO surrender her right to night
her enemy in her own way. 1t 5 pre-
ciselv that. Her own way IS that
tigerish ferocity Of which neither her
neutrals nor her enemies have believed
her capa Bile. Beyond the pale of law
she has no right, and she went far
outside all law when she p-earranged
and executed the destruction Of The
Iusitapia. 1t may be said that the
presentation of such a demand might
involve US in war with Germany. We
are not Of that opinion. There are
measures short of war which may be
taken to assert the rights and manifest
the just resentment of a nation.
And they are measures which the men
in power in Germany would not lightly
disregard unless they are lost in mad
ness.
But If the despatch without warn
Ing o. torpedoes against the great Lu-
sitania with GOO human beings on
board is 70 be accepted as a true
manifestation of the German spirit, if
Germany proclainas il, if she has de-
hberate!y determined that ali the
world shall know that this is the way
in which she proposes TO make war.
that this is her attitude toward law,
this is the measure of her humanity,
then al neutral nations are on notice
that the complete defeat of Germany
and eradication Of the military spirit
Of Germany are essential TO their
peace and safety. and they will feel
that they have tenfold greater reason
for desiring, and in the extreme enaer-
gency for helping to bring about, that
saving consummation.