The Washington times., 1915-07-24
THE NOTE TO GERMANY


many on submarine warfare leaves
little room for the German diplo-
mats to maneuver their craft. They
must go ahead, or back up.
It will be noted on careful reading
of what the President has sent to
Berlin, that the note requires re-
sponse in terms. Some of the fore
casts assumed the possibility that a
note would be sent, which might re-
quire no reply save in an improved
rule of conduct for German subma-
rines. It was suspected that the
President might leave the matter in
such posture that, if no further out
RACES against neutral rights were
perpe rated, there would be no need
Of further discussion.
But. the thing has been left in no
such status. The President demands
right conduct for the future, and dis
avowal of the Lusitania attack, with
reparation. Germany could reform
for the future with more dignity
than it could grant reparation and
disavowal. The real sticking point
in the American demand would seem
to be in this paragraph:
In view of the admission of illegality
made by the imperial German govern
taliation in defense Of it's acts. and in
view Of the manifest possibility of con-
forming to the established rules Of
naval warfare, the Government of the
United States cannot believe that the
imperial government will longer refrain
from disavowing the wanton act OF it's
naval commander in sinking the Lusi-
tania. or from Offering reparation for
aration can be made for a needless de,
styuction of human life by an illegal
That paragraph will bear more
study than it has received by most
of the commentators on the present
note. It would seem decidedly more
difficult for Germany to deal with,
even than the concluding paragraph
which declares that repetition Of
such acts will be regarded as "de-
liberately unfriendly." That point
ed declaration could be dodgel by
avoiding the repetition of such acts.
But the. demand in the I'usitsnia
case is not to be evaded. 1t is de-
mand for disavowa1 Of something
that the imperial government itself
distinctly avowed. The German en-
bassy in America signed the adver-
tisement in newspapers which an
nounced that the Lusitania was to
be sunk, and warned people against
sailing on her. 1t did not do that
without the knowledge and approval
of the imperial government; for SO
extremely unusual proceeding,
without authorization, would have
caused the instant recall of an am
bassador. All the circumstances, be.
fore and after the Lusitania's de-
struction, pointed to the determina-
tion Of the imperial government it
self to destroy that particular ship
on that particular voyage; to an
nounce the purpose in advance; to
execute it at any hazard; and there
by to terrorize the world by making
it realize the frightful efficiency of
the submarine weapon.
How is that act to be "disav0wed'
as the indiscretion of a naval COM
mander. 1t cannot be. The German
government must disavow itself;
and the President makes his demand
the more embarrassing by including
a sort of time limit: he Cannot be-
lieve. that the imperial government
will LONGER refrain from dis
avowing Il
1t is not very apparent why the
President should haye included ar
expression of something like salts
faction that submarine operations ir
the last two months have been con
Quoted "in substantial accordance
with the accepted practices of regu
lated warfare" That observation
could not have been included if th'
Orduna incident had been in mind
The Orduna case completely dis
proved the contention that subma
rine warfare has been lifted neare,
toward a place of humanitarianism
On the contrary, the Orduna affai
was rather more fragrant than tina
of the Lusitania. The Orduna wa
not carrying munitions; she wa
sailing from, not to, Britain; sh
was not warned, either by news
paper advertisement or by the sub
, marine commander; she carried neu
; tral passengers. The wanton and in
excusable attack on her. fell within
. the period during which the Presi
dent suggests that German perform
ances have shown the possibility o
, making submarine warfare decen
| warfare. Any other period woul
show the same thing: it is only need
ed to omit the barbarities, the saw
: agery, the murders, the violations o