Judsonia weekly advance., 1915-05-19

i the government of the United States has observed with growing concern, distress and amazement.
 Recalling the humane and enlightr ened attitude hitherto assumed by the imperial German government in matters of international right, and particularly with regard to the free dom of the seas; having learned to recognize the German views and the German influence in the field of in. ternational obligation as always en- gagged upon the side of justice and nu- manity; and having understood the in struetions Of the imperial German government to it's naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humare action prescribed by the naval codes of other nations, the government of the United States was loath to believe lit cannot now bring itself to believe that these acts so absolutely con the spirit of modern warfare, could have the countenance or sanction of that great government. It f.els it to be it's duty therefore to address the imperial German government concern ing them with the utmost frankness and in the earnest hope that it is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imperial German gov ernment, which will correct the un. favorable impressions which have been created and yindicate once more the position of that government with regard to the sacred freedom of the seas.
 No War Zone Rights Over Americans.
 The government of the United States has been apprised that the im- perial German government consider ed themselves to be obliged by the extraordinary circumstances of the present war and the measures adopt ed by their adversaries in seeking to cut Germany off from all commerce, to adopt methods of retaliation which go much beyond the ordinary meth ods of warfare at sea in the proclama- tion of a war zone, from which they have warned neutral ships to keeH away. This government has already taken occasion to inform the imperial German government that 1t cannot admit the adoption of such measures or such a warning of dangers to ope- rate as in any degree an abbrevia- tion of the rights of American ship masters or of American citizens bound on lawful errands as passen gers on merchant ships of belligerent nationality; and that it must hold the imperial German government to q strict accountability for any infringe ment of those rights, intention or in- cidental.
 f'It does not understand the in- perial German government to question those rights. It assumes on the con trary that the imperial government accepts, as of course, the rule that the lives of noncombatants, whether they l be of neutral citizenship or citizens of one of the nations at war, cannot lawfully or rightfully be put in jeo- pardy by the capture or destruction of an unarmed merchantman and rec ognizes also, as all other natio's do. the obligation to take the usual pre- caution to ascertain whether a sup | posed merchantmen is ill fact of belig- erent nationality or Is in act carry i ing e0ntraband of war under neutral flag.
 Protest Against Submarine Warfare.
 "The government of the United States, therefore, desires to call the attention of the imperial German gov ernment, 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 employing submarines in the destruction of com merce without desregarding those rules of fairness, reason, justice and humanity which all modern opinion regards as imperative. It is practi- cally impossible for the officers of a submarine to visit merchantmen at sea and examine her papers and car go. It is practically impossible for them to make a prize of her and if they cannot put a prize crew on heard 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 govern ment frankly admits. We arc inform ed 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 a warning " IS received Manifestly subma inee can. not be used against merchantmen, as the last few weeks have shown with out an inevitable violation Of many sacred principles of justice and hu- manity.
 Will Uphold Rights of Americans.
 American citizens act within their indisputable rights in taking their ships and in travelling wherever their l legitimate business calls them upon the high seas and exercise those right in what should be the we'll jus