Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-15
SATURDAY .....a MAY 10. ~


The most captious critics Of the adj
minisiratlon. unless inspired by great
or lovo for one Of the bellIgeront
powers than fer the United STATES or
blinded BY partisan prejudice, can
mud no fault with the note Of Pres
idcnt Wilson 70 Germany. II IN firm
bui not unfriendly demand that the
rights Of non-combatants. az rccog-
nizcd by international law. shall be
observed. Nothing In It's tone Is pro-
vocative Of war. Also nothing IN Il
indlcntes hcsituney TO take the mai
step should Germany further invite
war,
The constitution o. the United
Estates lays down the laws under
which the republic exists. and with
out Il the forty-eight states could not
live together In amity. II is the dear
cst Of our possessions, for upon u de-
ponds the preservation OF our federal
union.
In common with other nations OF
the earth. our next dearest possession
IA what il known as international law,
for upon II depend the conditions
and the behavior and the basis upon
which the various nations are able to
have Intercourse with the rest OF the
world
international law has been defined
ae rtha aggregate Of the rules which
Christian states acknowledge as OBJ
lleatory IN their relations 20 each
others subjects Notice the stress
laid upon the word subjects" with
out international law the subjects Of
one nation would have no rights une
der the flag Of another nation With
out international law the obligations
IL nations TO each other would cease
TO exist
Therefore. lust as our constitution
is the bulwarls of our domestic rights,
aud must be upheld under all cir
cumstances aud at all costs In our
internal relations between our sever
al states. turt no il ia the primo duty
Of a sovereign nation 10 insist upon
the enforcement of international law
IN liz dealings with and relations 10
other sovereign nations. That fact is
pointed out clearly In the note OF the
United States to Germany. one ma
tlon can no more set the obligations
Of international law at naught than
one state Of this union can disregard
the mandates OF the federal constl-
tuition.
The difference between anarchy and
savagery on tho one hand, and law.
abiding peoples and civilization ON
the other hand. Is the difference be-
tween state of human ignorance
where International obligations nre
unknown ana a state OF progress
whore they prevail as the paramount
human achievement
President Wilson has made Il clear
20 Germany that international law
does not sanction under amy plea Of
Justification or under any oircum-
stances. OF because Of an, unforeseen
inventions such az submarine. the
destruction OF neutral lives ON board
merchant vessel
liz the note sent to Germany on
February 10, Germany was told that
her submarine commanders mus
not "eause the death OF American
citizens under International law
The life o. i neutral subject il al
sacred and his rights are as inyioiahl'
50 times Of war as Ia times Of peace
No one nation. any more than sin
gle individual. has the right to abro
gate the law upon a special occasion
10 suit It's own eonvenience. other
wlne an law would become a fare,
ana chaos would result
ucrmanys excuse Is that Amerl
cans were warned not TO enter a.
war gone on vessels flying the Britsl
or French flags. There was not iusti
flrntion for policy cailing for sue
warning. With perfect right, tn
Washington government warne
Germany that she would be held [
strict accountability for any iniuF
to American life and property.
American citizens we're warned, !
was the German empire,
AZ vas Their righl. American oit
gems refused 70 heed the warning