The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1915-05-19

Justice and humanity which all mod
ern opinion regards as imperative.
eft is practically impossible for the
officers of submarine to visit a mer-
ehantman at sea and examine her
papers and cargo. 1t is practically
impossible for them to make a prize
OF her; and, il they can not put a
prize crew on board Of her, they can
not 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 understood, the I'm
perial German government frankly
admit
eve are informed that in the in
stances of which we have spoken
time enough for even that poor meas
ure Of safety was not given, and In
at least two of the cases cited not so
much as a warning was received.
Manifestly, submarines ccn not be
used against merchantmen, as the
| last few weeks have shown, without
an inevitable violation of many sac
red principles of justice and human
ity.
American citizens act within their
indisputable rights in taking their
ships and travelling wherever their
legitimate business calls them upon
the high seas, and exercise those
those rights in what should be the
l,wer justified confidence that their
lives will not be endangered by acts
done in clear violation of universally
acknowledged International obllgi-
tions, and certainly in the confidence
that their own government will sus-
I tain them in the exercise OF their
rights.
s"There was recently published in
| the newspapers of the United States,
| regret to inform the Imperial Ger
man government, formal warning,
purporting to come from the Imperial
German embassy at Washington, ad-
dressed to the people of the United
States, and stating, in effect, that any
citizen of the United States who ex-
ercised his right of free travel upon
the SEES would do so at his peril if
his journey should take him within
| the zone of waters within which the
Imperial German navy was using sub
marines against the commerce of
Great Britain and France, notwith-
standing the respectful but very earn
Lest protest, o. his government, the
government Ok the United States.
eeI do no. fer to this for the pur-
bpose of calling the attention Of the
Imperial German government at this
time to the surprising irregularity of
la communication from the Imperial
German embassy at Washington ad-
dressed to the people of the United
States through the newspapers, but
only for the purpose of pointing out
| that no warning that an Unlawful
and inhumane act will be committed
lean possibly be accepted as an excuse
| or pallia+ion for that act or as an
abatement Of the responsibility for
its commission.
Probably Misapprehension.
"Long acquainted as this govern:
ment has been with. the character of
the Imperial German government,
and with the high principles of equity
by which they have in the past been
actuated and guided, the government
| of the United States can not believe
| that the commanders Of the vessels
which committed these acts of law
lessness did SO except under a mis-
apprehension of the orders issued by
the Imperial German naval auShori-
ties -s..st-s - - H. g.. s. e
T. It takes It for granted that, at
fleast within the practical possibilities
| of every such case, the commanders
feyen of submarines were expected to
do nothing that would involve the
lives of non-combatants or the safety
of neutral ships, even at the cost of
failing of their object of capture or
destruction. =
! cit confidently expects, therefore,
that the Imperial German govern
ment will disavow the acts of which
the government of the United States
complains; that they will make re
paration as far as reparation is pos
sible for injuries which are without
measures, and that they will take
immediate steps to prevent the recur-
renee of anything SO obviously sub
versive of the principles of warfare
for which the Imperial German gov
ernment have in the past SO wisely
and so firmly contended.
''The government and people of
the United States look to the I'M
perial German government for just,
prompt and enlightened action in
this vital matter with the greater
confidence because the United States
and Germany are bound together not
only by special ties of friendship, but
also by the explicit stipulations of the
treaty of 1928 between the, United
! s"EXpressions of regret and offers
States and the kingdom Of Prussia.
! of reparation in case of the destruc-
tion of neutral ships sunk by mis-
take, while they may satisfy interna-
tional obligation if no loss of life
results, can not justify or excuse. a
practice the natural and necessary
effect of which is to subject neutral
nations and neutral persons to new
and immeasur&ble risks.
1.-THE Imperial German government
| wiH not expect the government Of
the United States to omit any word
or act necessary to the performance
of it's sacred duty Of maintaining the
rio1,tS Of the limited States and IFS