The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-06-15

circumstances. They have beer in the
minds of statesmen and Of interna-
tional jurists throughout the develop
ment of naval warfare, and the gov
eminent of the United States does not
understand that they have ever been
held to alter the principles Of human
fty upon which 1t has insisted. Moth
ing but actual forcible resistance or
continued efforts to escape by flight
when ordered to stop for the purpose
of visit on the part Of the merchant
man, has ever been held to forfeit the
lives of her passengers or crew. The
government of the United States, how
ever, does not understand that the i'm
perial German government is seeking
in this case to relieve itself of liabil-
ity, but only intends to set forth the
circumstances which led the com
mander of the submarine to allow him
self to be hurried into the course
which he took.
Lusitania Was Not Armed.
Your excellency's note, in discuss
ing the loss of American lives result
Ing from the sinking Of the steamship
Lusitania, adverts at some length to
certain information which the i'm
perial German government has re-
ceived with regard to character and
outfit of that vessel, and your excel
lency expresses the fear that this in
formation may not have been brought
to the attention of the government Of
the United States. 1t is stated in the
the note that the Lusitania was un-
doubtedly equipped with masked guns,
supplied with trained gunners and spe-
cial ammunition, Transporting troops
from Canada, carrying cargo not
permitted under the laws of the
United States to a vessel also carry
ing passengers, and serving, in virtual
effect, as an auxiliary to the naval
forces Of Great Britain. Fortunately
these are matters concerning which
the government of the United States
is In a position to give the imperial
German government official informa-
ton. OF the facts alleged in your ex-
cellency's note, II true, the govern
ment Of the United States would have
been bound to take official cognizance
In performing its recognized duty as a
neutral power and in enforcing its ma
tional laws. It was its duty to see to
it that the Lusitania was not armed
for offensive action, that she was not
serving as transport, that she did
not carry cargo prohibited by the
statutes Of the United States and
that, If in fact she was naval vessel
OF Great Britain, she would not re-
ceive clearances as merchantmen;
and 1t performed that duty and en-
forced its statutes with scrupulous
vigilance through it's regularly consti-
tuted officials. 1t Is able, therefore, to
assure the imperial German govern
ment that it has been misinformed.
Contentious Are Irrelevant
eff the imperial German government
should deem itself to be in possession
of convincing evidence that the off,
Gals Of the government Of the United
| States did not perform these duties
with thoroughness, the government of
the United States sincerely hopes that
| it will submit that evidence for con-
sideration.
Whatever may be the contentious
| of the imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contraband
| of war on board the Lusitania or re-
| garding the explosion of that material
| by the torpedo, 1t need only be said
that in the view of this government
| these contentious are irrelevant to the
| question of the legality of the methods
used by the German naval authorities
| in sinking the vessel.
Seeks Rights of Humanity.
But the sinking Of passenger ships
| involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any special
! circumstances of detail that may be
thought to affect the cases, principles
which lift 1t, as the imperial German
| government will no doubt be quick
to recognize and acknowledge, out OF
the class Of ordinary subjects of dip.
| lomatic discussion or of international
controversy. Whatever be the other
| facts regarding the Lusitanfa, the
| principal fact Is that great steam.
er, primarily and chiefly a convey
ance for passengers, and carrying
more than a thousand souls who had
| no part or lot in the conduct of the
war, was torpedoed and sunk with
out so much as challenge or warn
ing, and that men, women and chill
| dren were sent to their death In cir
cumstances unparalleled in modern
warfare. The fact that more than 10C
| American citizens were among those
| who persisted, made it the duty Of
the government of the United States
| to speak of these things and once
more, with solemn emphasis to cal
the attention of the imperial German
government to the grave responsible
ity which the government of the
United States conceives that it has
incurred in this tragic occurrence
and to the indisputable principle upor
which that responsibility rests The
government of the United States ii
contending for something much great
er than mere rights Of property oil
privileges of commerce. 1t is con
tending for nothing less high and sa
cred than theI rights of humanity
which every government honors it
self in respecting and which no gov
| Experienced.