Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-06-18

the United States. 1t is stated in the
note that the IIusitanai was undoubted-
ly equipped with masked guns supplied
with trained gunners and special am
munition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying cargo not permitted
under the laws of the United States
to vessel also carrying passengers.
and serving, in virtual effect, as an
auxiliary to the naval force of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are matters
concerning which the government Of
the United States is in a position to
give the Imperial German government
official information.
lusitania Declared Unarmed.
"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 ma
tional laws. 1t was its duty to see
to it that the Lusitania was not armed
for offensive action, that she was not
serving as transport, that she did not
carry cargo prohibited by the sta
tutes of the United States and that, if
in fact she was a naval vessel of Great
Britain, she should not receive clear
ance as merchantmen and it per-
formed that duty and enforced its
statutes with scrupulous vigilance
through its regularly constituted Off
Gals. 1t is able, therefore, to assure
the Imperial German government that
it has been misinfol med. II the I'M
perial German government should
deem itself to be in possession of con-
vincing evidence that the officials of
the government of the United States
did not perform these duties with thor
oughness the government of the Unit
ed States sincerely hopes that 1t will
submit that evidence for consideration
German Contentious Irrelevant.
Whatever may be the contentious
Of the Imperial German government re-
garding the carriage OF contraband of
war on board the Lusitania or regard
ing the explosion of that material by
the torpedo. it need only be said that
in the view of this government these
ton of legality of the methods used
by the German naval authorities in
sinking the vessel
| But the sinking of the 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 Impe.
rial German government will no doubt
be quick to recognize and acknowl
edge, out of the class of ordinary sub
jects of diplomatic discussion or of in
ternational controversy. Whatever be
the other facts regarding the Lusi
tania, the principal fact is that great
steamer primarily and chiefly a con
veyance for passengers and carrying
more than thousand souls who haG
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 circum
stances unparalleled in modern war
fare.
With Solemn Emphasis.
"The fact that more than one hun
dred American citizens were amonl
those who perished made it the dut,
Of the government of the United State
} to speak Of these things and ono
more, with solemn emphasis, to cal
the attention Of the Imperial German
government to the grave responsible
ity which the government Of the Unit
ed States conceives that It has in
| CURED in this tragic occurrence, an
to the indisputable principle upo
. which that responsibility rests. TIL
l government Of the United States !
; contending for something much grea
J. er than mere rights Of property q
t privileges Of commerce. It Is conten,
I ing for nothing less high and sacre
g Il 4