East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-06-11
ECONIAN. PENDLETON OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 11l l91

v, OhELOANJ Mia A > JD4fL
rying more than 1000 souls who had
no part OF lot in the conduct Of the
war. was torpedoed and sunk without
50 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
Duty Owed TO Humanity.
The fact that more than 100 Amer
lean citizens were among those who
pershed made It the duty OF the gov
eminent Of the United States to speak
Of these things, and once more, with
solemn emphasis. to call the atten-
tion Of the imperial German govern
ment TO the grave responsibility which
the government Of the United States
conceives that II has incurred in this
tragic occurrence and to the indis-
putable principle upon which that re-
sponsibillty rests. The government
Of the United States is contending for
someth ing much greater than mere
rights Of property or privileges OF
commerce. 1t is contending for Moth
ing less high and sacred than the
rights Of humanity, which every gov
ernment honors itself in respecting
and which no government is justified
In resigning on behalf Of those under
its care and authority Only her
actual resistance to capture or refusal
to stop when ordered to do so for
the purpose of visit could have af.
forded the commander of the sub
marine any justification for so much
as putting the Ives Of those on board
the ship in jeopardy. This principle
4 the government Of the United States
understands the explicit instructions
issued on August 3, 1914. by the i'm
perial German Admiralty to its COM
manders at sea to have recogn zed and
embodied, as do the naval codes of all
other nations, and upon It every
traveller and seaman had a right to
depend. 1t is upon this principle Of
humanity, as well as upon the law
1 founded upon this principle, that the
United States must stand.
Good Offices rendered.
"The government OF the United
States is happy to observe that Your
Excellency's note closes with the in
tmatlon that the imperial German
government is willing now as before,
to accept the good offices Of the
United States in an attempt to come
to an understanding with the govern
ment Of Great Britain, by which the
character and conditions Of the war
upon the sea may be changed. The
government Of the United States
would consider it a privilege thus to
serve its 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 il
this way at its convenience. The
whole world is concerned in anything
that may bring about even a partia
accommodation Of interests or in an!
way mitigate the terrors Of the pres
ent distressing conflict
Representations of May IS Renewed
an the meantime, whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be
tween the parties to the war. anC
Whatever may in the opinion Of the
, imperial German government have
been the provocation or the circum
stantiaI justification for the past act
of its commanders at sea, the govern
z ment of the United States confidently
looks to see the justice and humanity
of the government of Germany win
dicated in all cases where American
have been wronged or their rights az
neutrals invaded.
The government of the United
States therefore very earnestly ant
very solemnly renews the representa-
tions of its note transmitted to tht
imperial German government on tbs
18th of May and relies in these repre-
sentations upon the principles of hu
manity. the universally recognized
: understandings of international Law
and the ancient friendship of the Ger
man nation.
Rights of Americans Reasserted.
THE government Of the Unite'
t States cannot admit that the procla
1 nation Of a war zone from whicl
= neutral ships have been warned t
/ keep away may be made to operat
= as in any degree an abbreviaton o
Q the rights of either of American ship
e masters or Of American citizens bount
on lawful errands as passengers 0
merchant ships of belligerent nation
ality. 1t does not understand the i'm
s perial German government to ques
h ton those rights. 1t understands
i also to accept as established beyon
e question the principle that the live
s of non -combatants cannot lawfully o
= rightfully be put in jeopardy by tn
: capture or destruction of an unresist
8 ing merchantmen and to recogniz
= the obligation to take sufficient pre-
I caution to ascertain whether sus
o pected merchantmen is in fact c
a belligerent nationality or is in fac
y carrying contraband OF war under
= neutral flag.
THE government of the Unite
States therefore deems it reasonabl
To eXpect that the imperial Germa