Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-11

justification for SC much as putting the
lives Of those on board the ship in
jeopardy. This principle the govern
ment Of the United States understands
the explicit instructions issued on Aug.
g. 1914, by the Imperial German admi-
rally to it's commanders at sea to have
naval codes of All other nations, and
upon it every traveller and seaman has
a right to depend. 1t is upon this prin-
ciple of humanity as we'll as upon the
law founded upon this principle that
the United States must stand.
1.-The government of the United States
is happy to observe that Your Excel
lencyS note closes with the 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 conditions
of war upon the sea may be changed.
The government of the United States
would consider it a privilege thus to
serve its friends and the world. 1t
stands ready at any time to convey to
either government any intimation or
suggestion the other may be willing
to have it convey and cordially invites
the Imperial German government to
make use of it's services in this way
at its convenience. The whole world is
concerned in anything that may bring
about even a partial accommodation of
interests or in any way mitigate the
terrors of the present distressing con-
flict.
I'm the meantime, whatever arrange
ment may happily be made between
the parties of the war, and whatever
may in the opinion of the Imperial
German government have been the prov
ocation or their circumstantial justi-
fication for the past acts of its COM
manders at sea, the government of the
United States confidently looks to see
the justice and humanity of the gov
eminent Of Germany indicated in all
cases where Americans have been
wronged or their rights as neutrals in
vaded.
Renews Representations
"The government Of the United States
therefore very earnestly and very SOL
emily renews the representations of it's
note transmitted to the Imperial Ger
man government on the 18th Of May.
and relies in these representations upon
the principles of humanity, the univer-
sally recognized understandings of in
ternational law and the ancient friend
ship Of the German nation.
'"The government Of the United States
cannot admit that the proclamation Of
a war zone from which neutral ships
have been warned to keep away may
be made to operate as in any degree
an abbreviation Of the rights either
Of American ship masters or Of Amer
lean citizens bound on lawful errands
as passengers on merchant ships Of bel
ligerent nationality. It does not under
stand the Imperial German government
to question those rights. 1t understands
1t also to accept as established beyond
question the principle that the lives of
non-combatants cannot lawfully or
rightfully be put in jeopardy by the
capture or destruction of an unresist-
ing merchantmen and to recognize the
obligation to take sufficient precaution
to ascertain whether a suspected mer-
chairman is in fact Of belligerent ma
tionality or is in fact carrying contra
band Of war under = neutral hag. The
! government Of the United States deems