Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-07-27

or of the radical alterations of cir
cumstance and method of attack pro
duced by the use of instrumentalitie
OF naval warfare which the nations of
the world cannot have had in view
when the existing rules of information
al law were formulated, and it is ready
to make every reasonable allowance
for these novel and unexpected aspects
of war at sea; but it cannot consent
to abate any essential or fundamental
right of its people because of a mere
alteration of circumstance. The rights
of neutrals in time of war are based
upon principle, not upon expediency,
and the principles are immutable. 1t
is the duty and obligation of belliger-
ents to find way to adapt the new
circumstances to them.
The events of the past two months
have clearly indicated that it is pos
sible and practicable to conduct such
submarine operations as have charac-
terized the activity of the Imperial
German Navy within the so-called war
zone in substantial accord with the ac-
cepted practices of regulated warfare.
The whole world has looked with in
terest and increasing satisfaction at
the demonstration of that possibility
by German naval commanders. 1t is
manifestly possible, therefore. to lift
the whole practice of submarine at
tack above the criticism which it has
aroused and remove the chief causes
of offense.
In view of the admission Of illegality
made by the Imperial Government
when it pleaded the right of retaliation
in defense of it's acts, and in view of
the manifest possibility of conform
ing to the established rules of naval
warfare, the Government of the United
States cannot believe that the I'M
perial Government will longer refrain
from disavowing the wanton act of
its naval commander in sinking the
Lusitania or from offering reparation
for the American lives lost, so far as
reparation can be made for a need
less destruction of human life by an
illegal act.
The Government of the United
States, while not Indifferent to the
friendly spirit in which it is made,
cannot accept the suggestion of the
Imperial German Government that GER
tain vessels be designated and agreed
upon which shall be free on the seas
now Illegally prescribed. The very
agreement would, by implication, sub
ject other vessels to illegal attack
and would be a curtailment, and there
fore an abandonment, of the principles
and which in times of calmer coun-
sells every nation would concede as
of course.
To Uphold Rights AT Any Cost"
The Government of the United
States and the Imperial German Gov
eminent are contending for the same
great object have long stood together
in urging the very principles, upon
which the Government of the United
States now solemnly insists. They
are both contepding for the freedom
of the seas. The Government of the
United States will continue to contend
for that freedom, from whatever quar-
ter violated, without compromise and
at any cost 1t invites the practical
cooperation of the Imperial German
Government at this time when CO
operation may accomplish most and
this great common object be most
strikingly and effectively achieved.
The Imperial German Government
expresses the hope that this object
may be in some measure accomplished
even before the present war ends. 1t
can be. The Government of the
United States not only feels obliged to
insist upon it, by whomsoever violated
or ignored in the protection of its own
citizens, but is also deeply interested
in seeing it made practicable between
the belligerents themselves, and holds
itself ready at any time to act as the
common friend who may be. privileged
to suggest a way.
In the meantime the very Ndlue
which this Government sets upon the
long and unbroken friendship between
the people and Government of the
United States and the people and Gov
eminent of the German nation impels
it to press very solemnly upon the
Imperial German Government the
necessity of scrupulous observance
of neutral rights in this critical mat
ter. Friendship itself prompts it to
say to the Imperial Government that
repetition by the commanders of Ger
man naval vessels of acts in contra
vention of those rights must be re-
garded by the Government of the
United States, when they affect Ameri-
can citizens, as deliberately unfriendly.
LANSING.