Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-14
WASHINGTON, May "A.

WASHINGTON, May "a.
Germans submarine warfare against
peaceful commerce in British waters and
the killing of neutral citizens must stop.
That is the dlctum laid down by Presi-
dent Wilson in the American note called
forth by the destruction of the Lustania,
presented to the German Government to-
day. The document, which contains Ian
guage of the frmest character, follows:
Please call on the Minister OF Foreign
Affairs and after reading to him this COM
muncation leave with him copy:
In view OF the recent acts OF the Ger
man authorities in violation of American
rights on the high seas which eliminated
in the torpedong and sinking of the Brit
ish steamship Lusltania on May Z, 1915,
by which over 100 American citizens lost
their lives. it is clearly wise and desirable
| that the Government of the United States
and the Imperial German Government
| should come to a clear and full UNDER
| standing as to the grave situation which
| has resulted.
AMERICAN GRIEVANCES.
The sinking of the British passenger
steamer Falaba by a German submarine
on March %, through which Leon C..
| Thresher, an American citizen. was
| drowned the attack on April 2S on the
| American vessel Cushing by a German
| aeroplane; the torpedoing on May 1 of the
| American vessel Gulflight by a German
| submarine, as a result of which two or
| more American citizens met their DEATH
| and finally, the torpedoing and sinking
| of the steamship Lusitana constitute n
| series of events which the Government of
| the United States has observed with
! growing concern, distress and amaze
ment.
Recalling the humane and enlightened
| attitude hitherto assumed by the Imperial
German Government in matters of inter-
national right and particularly with re-
gard to the freedom of the seas; having
learned to recognize the German views
and the German influence in the field of
international obligation as always en-
gagged upon the side of Justice and hu-
| manity: and having understood the in
structions of the Imperial German Gov
ernment to its naval commanders to be
upon the same plane of humane action
prescribed by the naval codes of other ma
tions, the Government of the United
States was loath to belleve-it cannot now
bring itself to believe-that these acts, so
absolutely contrary to the rules. the prac-
tices and the spirit of modern warfare.
of that great Government. 1t feels 1t to
be it's duty, therefore, to address the I'm
nerial German Government concerning
them with the utmost frankness and in
the earnest hope that 1t is not mistaken
In expecting action on the part of the
Imperial German Government which will
correct the unfortunate Impressions
which have been created and vlndicate
once more the position of that Govern
ment with regard to the sacred freedom
of the seas.
GERMAN CONTENTION DISPUTED.
The Government of the United States
has been apprised that the Imperial Ger
man Government considered itself to
be obliged by the extraordinary cir
cumstances of the present war and the
measures adopted by it's adversaries in
seeking to cut Germany off from all COM
merce to adopt methods of retaliation
which go much beyond the ordinary
methods of warfare at sea, in the pro-
clHmation of a war zone from which they
have warned neutral ships to keep away.
This Government has already taken oc-
casion to inform the Imperial German
Government that II cannot admit the
adoption of such measures or such a
warning OF danger to operate as In any
degree an abbreviation OF the rights OF
American shipmasters or of American
citizens bound on lawful errands as pas
sengers on merchant ships of belligerent
nationality; and that 1t must hold the
Imperial German Government to strict
accountability for any infringement of
those rights, intentional or incidental. 1t
does not understand the Imperial German
Government TO question those rights. II
assumes. on the contrary, that the I'm
peral German Government accepts, as OF
course, the rule that the lives or nom
combatants, whether they be Of neutral
,ff off n no.
tlOns at war, cannot lawfully or right
fully be put in jeopardy by the capture
or destruction OF an unarmed merchant
man, and recognize. also, as all other ma
tions do. the obligation to take the usual
precautiOn OF visit and search to ascer-
tain whether a suspected merchantmen
is In fact OF belligerent nationality or Is
In fact carrying contraband of war under
a neutral nag,
The Government of the United States.
therefore, desires 10 call the attention OF
the Imperial German Government with
the utmost earnestness to the fact that
the objection to their present method OF
attack against the trade of their enemies
lies In the practical impossibility of EN-
ploying submarines in the destruction of
commerce without disregarding those
rules of fairness, reason, justice ana
humanity which all modern opinion re-
CARDS as imperative. 1t is practically inn
possible for the officers OF a submarine
to visit a merchantmen at sea and eX-
anime her papers and cargo. 1t Is practi-
cally impossible for them TO make a prize
OF her; and. IL they cannot put prize
crew on board OF her, they cannot sink
her without leaving her crew and all on
board of her to the mercy of the sea In
her small boats. These facts, It is under
stood, the Imperial German Government
frankly admits.
We are informed that in the Instances
of which we have spoken time enough
for even that poor measure OF safety
was not given. and in at least two OF
the cases cited not so much as q warning
was received. Manifestly, submarines
cannot be used against merchantmen, as
the last few weeks have shown. without
an Inevitable violation of many sacred
principles OF justice and humanity.
U. 5. CITIZENS WITHIN RIGHTS
American citizens act within their in
disputable rights In taking their ships
and in travelling wherever their legitimate
business calls them upon the high seas.
and exercise thoss rights In what should
be the eli-justihed confidence that their
lives wiz not be endangered b acts done
In clear violation Of universally acknoWi-
edged International obligations. and GER
lalnly "a the eonndenes that their own