Bridgeton pioneer., 1915-07-15
Diplomatic Exchanges Follow
Ing German Order.
ONE BEFORE LUSITANIA SANK

eNAJ Va OIetAC ANOD6tI l4dHSlHeS, 10 AON
at work considering the American reply
to Germany's latest note, in which the
kaiser refused to heed Americas de-
mands to change the tactics of the sub
marines. In the opinion of well In
formed men In Washington there would
be little delay in answering the latest
communication from Germany.
At this juncture the causes of the
differences between the two coun-
tries are interesting. Following Is the
official war zone decree by Germany,
with excerpts from the various diplo-
matte exchanges:
Proclamation of a War Zone by the
German Government Feb. A. 1S15-The
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireland. including the whole English
channel, are hereby tisclarcd-fo- be war
zone. On and after Feb IS, 1913, every
enemy merchant ship found in the said
war zone will be destroyed without it
being always possible to avert the dan
gers threatening the crews and passen-
gers on that account.
From the Protest of the United States
Government. Feb. 19, 1915.- If such
a deplorable situation las infringement
Of the rights of American citizensl should
arise, the imperial German government
can readily appreciate that the govern
mcnt of the United States would be con-
strained to hold the imperial German
government to a strict accountability for
such acts of their naval authorities and
to take any steps it might be necessary to
take to safeguard American lives and
property and to secure to American citl-
zens the full enjoyment of their acknowl-
edged rights on the high seas.
Ill
Destruction of the Lusitania,-The Brit
ish merchant vessel Lusitania was tor
pedoed and sunk by German submarine
in the English channel May T. 1916. when
more than 100 American citizens lost their
lives.
From the Note of the United States
Government to the German Government
May 13, 1915.-" . This government has
already taken occasion to inform the i'm
perial German government that it cannot
admit the adoption of such measures [of
retaliation against the British govern
mentl to operate as in any degree
an abbreviation of the rights of
American citizens bound on lawful err
rands as passengers on merchant ships
Oh DeIIlSeTenI ma dtlOnduty. American
citizens act within their indisputable
rights In taking their ships and in trav-
cling wherever their legitimate business
calls them upon the high seas and exer-
else these rights in what should be the
well justified confidence that their lives
will not be endangered by acts done in
clear violation of universally acknowl-
edged international obligations and GER
tainly in the confidence that their own
government will sustain them in the exer-
else of their rights, '''
v.
From the Reply of the German Govern
ment, May 2S, 1915.-' 1t is, more
over. known to the imperial government
from reliable information furnished by its
officials and neutral passengers that for
some time practically all the more valua-
BILE English merchant vessels have been
provided with guns. ammunition and
other weapons and REINFORCED with
crew specially practiced in manning guns
According to reports at hand here the
Lusitania when she left New York un-
doubtedly had guns on board which were
mounted under decks and masked. I"
The German commanders are consequent
ly no longer in a position to observe the
rules of capture.
vi
From the Reply of the United States
Government, June TO- 1915" Moth
ing but ac&al forcible resistance or con-
tinued efforts to escape by flight when
ordered to stop for the purpose of visit
on the part of the merchantmen has ever
been held to forfeit the lives of her pas
sengers or crew. 1t was its 1.-THE
United States governmentsl duty to see
that the Lusitania was not armed for Of
fensive action; that she was not serving
as transport; that she did not carry d
cargo prohibited by the statutes Of the
United States, and that if in fact she
was naval vessel of Great Britain, she
should not receive clearance as mer-
chantman: and 1t performed that duty
and enforced its statutes with scrupulous
vigilance through its regularly constitut-
ed officials. II is able, therefore. to as
sure the imperial German government
that it has been misinformed. .
Only her actual resistance to capture or
refusal to stop when ordered to do so for
the purpose OF visit could have afforded
the commander of the submarine any
justification for so much as putting the
lives of those on board the ship in jeopar-
dy. This principle the government of the
United States understands the explicit in
structions. issued on Aug. g. 1914. by the
imperial German admiralty to its COM
manders at sea, to have recognized and
embodied. 1t is upon this princi-
pie of humanity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the Unit
ed States must stand.
VII.
From the German Governments Reply,
July g. 1915.-If in the present war the
principles which should be the ideal NJ
the future have been traversed more and
more, the longer it's duration the German
government has no guilt therein.
The case of the Lusitania shows with
horrible clearness to what jeopardizing OF
human lives the manner Of conducting
war employed by our adversaries leads.
German submarines will be in
structed to permit the free and safe pas
sage Of such IAmerican or permitted to
carry the American hagl passenger steam
ers when made recognizable by special
markings and notification is given a rea-
sonable time in advance.
The imperial government. however. con-
fidently hopes the American government
will assume to guarantee that these ves-
sells have no contraband on board. de-
tails of arrangements for the unhamper-
ed passage OF these vessels to be agreed
upon by the naval authorities OF both
aides.