The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1915-06-17

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among those Who perished made It
the duty Of the government OF the
United States to speak Of these things
and once more. with solemn empha-
sis to call the attention Of the Imper-
ial German government to the grave
responsibility which the government
OF the United States conceives that
1t has incurred in this tragic occur
renee. and to the indisputable princi-
pie upon which that responsibility
rests. The government OF the United
States Is contending for something
much greater than mere rights OF
property or privilege Of commerce. 1t
is contending for nothing less high
and sacred than the rights OF human
ity. which every government honors
itself In respecting and which no
government is justified in resigning
on behalf of those under its care and
authority. Only her actual resist
ance to capture or refusal to stop
when ordered to do so for the pur-
pose of visit could have afforded the
commander OF the submarine any JUS
tification for SO 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
August 3. 1914, by the Imperial Ger
man admiralty to its commanders at
sea to have recognize and embodied.
as do the naval codes Of all other ma
tions. and upon 1t every traveller and
seaman had a right to depend. 1t is
upon this principle of humanity As
we'll as upon the law founded upon
this priucIple that the United States
must stand.
The government OF the United Sta
tes is happy to observe that Your
note closes with the inti-
nation that the Imperial German gov
eminent 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 char
acter and conditions Of tho war upon
the sea may be changed. The govern
ment OF the United States would con-
slider Il q privilege thus to serve its
friends and the world. Il stands
ready at any time to convey to either
any intimation or sug-
gestion the other may be willing to
have it convey and cordially invites
the Imperial German government to
make use Of its services In this way
at its convenience. The whole world
Is concerned In anything that may
bring even q partial accommodation
Of interests or In any way mitigate
the N-rors OF tho present distressing
In the meantime. whatever arrange
ments may happily be made between
the parties to the war and whatever
may be in the opinion OF the Imperial
government have been the
or the ci---umstantial jus
tihcations 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 government Of Germany vindi-
Gated in an cases where Americans
have been wronged or their rights as
invaded.
The government OF the United Sta
ties. therefore. very earnestly and
very solemniy renews the representa-
tions OF its note transmitted to the
Imperial German government on the
18th Of May and relies in these rep
upon the principles OF
the universally recognized
understandings OF International law
and the ancient friendship Of the Ger.
man nation.
The government Of the United Sta
ties canont admit that the proclama-
ton OF a war zone from which neutral
ships have been warned to keep away
may be made to operate as in any de-
gree an aobreviation Of the rights eth
er of American ship masters or OF
American citizens bound on lawful
errands as passengers on merchant
ships Of belligerent nationality. It
docs not understand the Imperial Ger
man government To- question these
rights. Il UNDERSTANDS It. also. to az
cept as established beyond question
the principle that the lives OF nom