The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-06-12

of war My fear has been that tue !
German government might, despairlng |
Ot friendly settlement, break off !
dlsplOmatlc relations and thus create
condition out OF which war might |
come without the Intention OF either |
country. l do not ask YOU to mini |
miEe the eArnestness Of the president !
statement that would be unfair both |
TO him and 10 Germany. The sink. !
Ing Of the Lusltania cannot be- de,
Tended upon the facts ns we under
stand them. The killing OF innocent
women and children cannot be defend.
ed whether II Is by drowning or by
starving no nation can plead success
fully the inhumanity Of her enemies
as an excuse for lnhumHnlty ON her
own part, While II IL true that cruelty
Is apt TO heget cruelty, II cannot be
| said Ike cures like, Even In war
we are not absOlved from the obllgn
tlon 10 remedy evils by the Influence
Of good example let your light
81 shine Is precept that knows no
times nor seasons 1t knows neither
latitude nor longitude.
Note 10 British
"Third--DO not attempt to connect
the negotiations between the United
! States and Germany with those be-
! tween the United States and Great
Britain. The cases are different, but
even II they were the same II would be-
necessary 10 treat with each nation
separately. My personal preference
has been to repeat our insistence that
the allies shall not interfere with our
commerce with neutral countries, but
the difference on this point was II mat
| ter Of Judgment and not n matter "
! principle. In the note to Great Brit
ain. dated March 80 this government
said:
"In view Of these assurances for
mnlly given to this government II IL
confidently expected that the eXtcn-
slye powers conferred by the Order.ln.
| council on the executive officers Of the
crown will be restricted by orders
issued by the government directing the
exercise Of their discretionary powers
In such manner as tO modify Ia
practical application those provisions
] VI AhN OIuti -iuNOuu'llt huiu u
strictly enforced would violate neu.
tral rights and interrupt Legitimate
trade. Relying on the faithful per.
fOrmance Of these voluntary assur'
ances by his majesty's government,
the United States takes II for granted
that the approach of American mer.
chantmen 10 neutral ports situated
l.. Inn - ua4N ..Nfn N..l
by the order in-cOunCil will not be In
terfered with when II " known that
they do not carry goods which arc
cOntraband OF war or goods destined
to or proceeding from ports within
the belllgerent territory affected
There Is no doubt that our gov.
ernment viii Insist upon this position I,
that Is the important thing, the exact
date Of the note In not material. My
reason for desiring to have the matter
presented to Great Britain was not
that Germany had any right 10 ask II,
but because | was anxious 10 make n
as easy us possible for Germany to
accept the demands Of the United
States and cease 10 employ submarines
reason why any German-AmeriCans
should doubt the presidents intentions
I'm this matter | am sure that every.
one will on reflection recognize thnt
our duty 10 prevent loss OF life II more
urgent than our duty 10 prevent inter.
ference with trade-lOss VI trade eau
be compensated for with money, but
no settlement that the United States
aud Germany may reach can call back
10 life those who went down on the
lusitanla--and war would be the most
expensive of oil settlements because 1t
would enormously add 10 the number
Of the dead
Hopes Germany viii AeQuiesce
FOURTH hope that Germany will
acqulesce In them without conditions
She can trust the United states to
deal Justly with her In the considera.
? tion VI any change that she may pro.
pose IN the international rules that
govern the taking Of prizes The more
b generously she acts In this matter, the
greater will I've the glory which sbs
will derive from H. She has raised
question which Is just now receiving
] serious consideration namely: wheth.
er the introduction ~ the submarine
I necessltates any change In the rules
j governing the capture Of prizes. The
= position seemingly taken by Germany
p namely that she II entitled 10 drown
D non .cOmbatauts because they ride
: with cOntraband II an untenable posi-
I tlon; the most that she could insist
j. upon Is that in view OF the introduc
j tlon " this new weapon NJ warfare
= new rules should be- adopted--sepsr
Htlng passengers from Objectionable
D cargo. IN the use Of the submarine
J. Justlfies such a change In the law Of
!. blockade ~ will permit the Gordon Il
d I've withdrawn far enough from IN,
: shore To avoid the danger ~ submn
!. rlne attack, may Il not he found pos
] Sible 10 secure an international agree
q ment by which the passengers viii b,
J. excluded from ships carrying contra
, band, or at least from those carryinI
X ammunition. II would require bu
= slight change In the shipping laws y,
. make this separation and belllgeren
nations might be restrained from un
necessarily increasing the contrabnn,
Is lst n they were compelled to carr,
e contraband on transports az they nov
e carry troops. Personally, I would Tx,
,. To zee the use of submarines abandon
n ed entirely, Just as | would like /,
?, see an abandonment of the use Of aero
4 planes and Heppellns for the carrying
IL Of exDlOsiyeH hut 1 am not aanetiInl