Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-06-11

crrcirE EEtc1 re EoFrrur@rot OF Aiss
Uaitsd States 10 in = position 20 give
ne tas~rtai G~r@za Esvsrn@saf on
eizi fsforSlafioa.
Give. Assurances Claim Vas False
-of ths facts alleged IN your ex-
eeiiszcT's n0ts. n true. the govern
raent % ths raited states would have
bsea boaad % take osiciai coEuizaaes
% p@rforusiaE i,s recognized duty as
= nsatrsi power ana "a snforcinE ia
rasiozai lass.
4; vas SIS Gsty % So 20 q that thr
Lasl;aaia vas 90, armed Tor o1ensiss
actf9a. that g vas not ssrvirE a. a
transport. thzt 70 asa rot carry a car
20 prosfbsse4 ~ tac Statutes % the
Taltrd states ard that. - IN fact T.
aas a naVal vessel % Great britain.
q sh0ate not receive clearance a. a
rasrchantuan. ard 70 performed that
a1tv a.d raforc@si tss statutes with
seruptoss vigilance throuEh its reg
aisriy eo-ssitats4 ofselAis.
~ft g able. therefore. 20 assure the
Imperial German Eovsruusnt that q
has been salsiaforrnsf.
IL ~ Imperial German govern
neat shoaia deem itself % b. in pos
session % convincing evidence that
ths osnelais % ths government % the
T-aif~d states asa not perform these
duties wifh thorouEhness the govern
m@nt - th~ United States sincerely
hopes that ~ will submit that evidence
for consideration.
Death % fnnsosnt without Parallel.
Whatever may b. The eontentiouH
% the Imperial German government
REGARDING che carriage % curtrabaud
% var on board the Lusitsuia or re-
sardine thr explosion % that material
by enc torpedo. it need only D. said
that o. ths view % this government
tkess c1nssntfors are irrelevant 20 the
question o: the legality % the methods
used by the German naval authorities
o. sinking che vessel
-Bu. she sinking % passenger ships
Involves principles o. humanity which
thr8u into The Background any special
circumstances Of detail that may be
thought % affect the cases. principles
vhieh iift y. as tho imperial Ger
man Eovsrumsnt will no doubt be
quick 90 recognize and acknowledge.
out % the class % ordinary subjects
% diplomatic discussion or % inter
national controversy
Whatever BE- The other facts re-
EardiaE thc Luaitania. the principal
fact O. that a great steamer. primaT-
ity and chiefly n Conveyance for pas
senEers and carrying more than
thousand souls Who had no part or Jot
o. ths conduct % the war. vas tor
a challenge OF q warning ard that
men. women. and children we're sent
% their death So circumstances IN I
paraticicd in modern warfare.
Contends for More Than SEA Rights.
The fact that more than 100 Amer /
lean citizens we're among those Who I
persisted made o. the duty % the gov
erumsui % the Unitsd States 90 speak I
Of these things. and once more. with |
solemn emphasis. 90 call the attention
% the Imperial German government 7
20 the grave responsibility which the .
Fovernmeut % the United States con-
crivrs that r. has Incurred tu this !
tragic occurrence. and 90 the irdiaput-
able prineipis upon which the respon- /
sibiiity rests
The government o. the Nuitra /
States f. contendinE for something /
much greater than mere rights % .
property Or privileges 81 commerce
1T f. contendinE for nothing less .
high and sacred than the rights Of .
huruanlty. which every government 1
hoa0rs itself IN rsspsctinE and which
no government e. fastiasd 90 resign
Ing on behalf % those under its care
ard authority.
~oniy actual rssistane. % capture
o. refusal 90 stop when ordered %
90 - for the purpose % visit could
have afforded the commander % the
submarine any Justification for 80
much as putting the lives % those on
board che ship IN icopEEdy-
This prtncipis the government of
The unitsf States understands the cx-