The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-11
FULL TEXT Of PRESIDENTS NOTE TO GERMANY
ON PROTECTION OF AMERICAN RIGHTS

speak of these things and once more,
with solemn emphasis, to call the at
tention Of the Imperial German gov
ernment to the grave responsibility
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.
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
humanity, which every government
honors itself in respecting and which
no government Is justified in resign
ing on behalf of those under it's care
and authority. Only her actual re-
sistanceS to capture or refusal to stop
when ordered to do so for the pur-
pose of visit could have afforded the
commander of the submarine any
justification for so much as putting
the lives of those on board the ship
injeopardy This principle the gov
ernment of the United States under
stands the explicit instructions is :
/ sued on August 3, 1914. by the I'm
perial German admiralty to it's COM
manders at sea to have recognized
and embodied, as do the naval codes
of all other nations, and upon it ev-
cry traveller and seaman had a right
to depend. 1t is upon this principle
of humanity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States must stand.
"The government of the United
States is happy to observe that
Your Excellency's note closes with
lthe intimation 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 government Of Great Britain by
which the character and codes oi
war upon the sea may be changed
The government of the United States
would consider it privilege thus tc
serve its friends and the world. II
stands ready at any time to convey
to either government any intimatior
or suggestion the other will 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. Th'
whole world is concerned in any
thing that may bring about even ;
partial accommodation Of interest
and in any way mitigate the terror
of the present distressing conflict.
In the meantime, whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be
, tween the parties to the war, an,
whatever may. in the opinion of tn
Imperial German government, hav
been the provocation or the circum
: stantial justification for the pas
acts of its commanders at sea, tn
government of the United State
| confidently looks to see the justic
: and humanity of the Imperial Ger
, man government vindicated in a.
cases where Americans have bee
r wronged or their rights as neutral
5 in vaded.
4 THE government of the Unite
! States therefore earnestly and yer
e solennly renews the representation
S of it's note transmitted to the Impel
ial German government on the 15t
d of May. and relies on these repre-
e sentations upon the principles of h,
e manity, the universally recognize
o understandings of international Law