Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-10

so by. p that actually bloekadiug
neutral coasts and ports contrary m
all international law. Long before the
beginning Of submarine war England
practically completely intercepted
legitimate neutral navigation 10 Ger
many also. Thus Germany was driven
to a submarine war on trade.
Defense for National Existence.
ION Nov. IL. 1914, the English pre-
mier declared in the house Of com
mons that 1t was one Of EneIand's
principal tasks to prevent food for
the German population from reaching
Germany via neutral ports. Since
March I. England has been taking
from neutral ships without further
formality all merchandise proceeding
TO Germany, as we'll as all merchandise
coming from Germany, even when neu-
trail property. Just as IL was also with
the Beers. the German people is now to
be given the choice Of perishing from
starvation with its women and children
or Of relinquishing it's independence.
While our enemies thus loudly
and openly proclaimed war without
mercy until our utter destruction. we
were conducting war in self defense
for our national existence and for the
sake Of peace Of an assured perma-
nency. We have been obliged to adopt
a submarine warfare TO meet the de-
clared intentions of our enemies and
the method of warfare adopted bv
them in contravention of international
law.
Neutrals Second to Germans.
with all its efforts in principle to
protect neutral life and property from
damage as much as possible. the Ger
man government recognized unre-
servedly in its memorandum of Feb
ruary 4, that the inter ests Of neuuals
might suffer from Submarine warfare
However, the American government
will also understand and appreciate
that in the fight for existence which
has been forced upon Germany by its
adversaries and announced by them
it is the sacred duty of the imperial
government to do all within its power
to protect and save the lives Of Ger
man subjects. If the imperial gov
eminent were derelict in these its du-
ties, it would be guilty before God and
history of the violation of those prin-
Ciples Of highest humanity which are
the foundation Of every national ex-
istence.
Thought Ship Would Remain Afloat.
THO case of the Lusitania shows
with horrible clearness to what jeop-
ardizing of human lives the manner Of /
conducting war employed by our ad-
versaries leads in the most direct
contradiction of international law, all
distinctions between merchantmen /
and war vessels have been obliberated
by the order to British merchantmen
10 arm themselves and to ram sub !
marines, and the promise OF rewards /
therefore. and neutrals who use mer- /
chantmen as travellers thereby have /
been exposed in an increasing degree
to all the dangers Of war.
If the commander of the German +
submarine which destroyed the Lusi-
tania had caused the crew and pas
sengers to take to the boats before fir .
ing a torpedo, this would have meant /
the sure destruction of his own yes
sci. After the experiences in sinking +
much smaller and less seawortby yes /
sells, it was to be expected that a
mighty ship like the Lusitania would .
remain above the water long enough /
even after the torpedoing to permit .
passengers to enter the ships boats. /
Circumstances Of a very peculiar kind, /
especially the presence on board Of /
large quantities of highly explosive F.
materials WORD omitted, probably +
"dissipated") this expectation. In adj +
dition it may be pointed out that if /
the Lusitania had been spared thou /
sands of cases Of munitions would T
have been sent TO Germany's enemies (
and thereby thousands OF German /