The Idaho Republican., 1915-06-25

ficials. 1t is able, therefore, to as
sure the imperial German govern
ment that it has been misinformed.
If the imperial German government
should deem itself to be in possession
of convincing evidence that the Of
ficials of the government of the
United States did not perform these
duties with thoroughness the govern
ment of the United States sincerely
hopes that it will submit that evil
dence for consideration.
Irrelevant to Question
Whatever may be the contentious
of the imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contrabrand
of war on board the Lusitania or re-
gardins the explosion of that material
by 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 met
hods used by the German naval au-
thorities in sinking that vessel.
But the sinking of 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 imper-
iol government will no doubt be quick
to recognize and acknowledge, out Of
the class of ordinary subjects of dip
lomatic discussion or international
controversy.
Women and Children Slain
Whatever be the facts regarding
the LUsitania, the principal facts 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 chal-
lenge or warning and that men,
women and children were sent to
their death in circumstances unparal
leled in modern warfare. The fact
that more than 100 American citizens
were among those who perished made
it 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
German government to the grave re-
sponsibility which the government of
the United States conceives that it
has incurred in this tragic occurrence
and to the indisputable principle upon
which that responsibility rests.
Rights of 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
government is justified in resigning
on behalf of those under it's care and
Only her actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop when
ordered to do so for the purpose of
visit could have afforded the COM
mander of the submarine any justifi-
cation for so much as putting the
lives of those on board the ship in
jeopardy. This principal, the govern
ment of the United States under
stands the explicit instructions issued
on August 8, 1914, by the imperial
German admiralty to it's commanders
at sea to have, recognized and en-
bodied, as do the naval codes of all
other nations, and upon it every trav-
Ter and seaman had right to de-
pend. 1t is upon this principle of
humanity, do WOll oS uPOh IAO ia
founded upon this principle, that the
United States must stand.
5"& Offers Good Offices
THE government Of the United
States is happy to observe that your
excellency's note closes with the init
nation that the imperial German gov
ernment is willing, now as before,
to accept the good offices of the
United States in an attempt to come
to an understanding with the gov
ernment of Great Britain, by which
the character and conditions of war
upon the sea may be changed. The
government of the United States
would consider it privilege thus to
serve it's friends and the world. 1t
stands ready at any time to convey
to either government any intimation
or suggestion the other may be will
ing to have it convey, and cordially
invites the imperial German govern
ment to make use of its services in
this way at it's convenience. The
whole world is concerned in anything