The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-06-18

States is contending for something
much greater than mere rights of pro-
perty or privileges of commerce. 1t
is contending for nothing less sacred
than the rights of humanity, which
every government honors itself in re-
specting. Only her actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop wlen or
dered 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 jeopardy. This prin-
ciple the government of the United
States understands the explicit in
structions issued on August 3, 1914,
by the imperial German admiralty to
its commanders at sea to have recog-
nized and embodied, as do the naval
codes of all other nations and upon it
every traveller and seaman had q RIGHT
to depend. 1t is upon this principle
of humanity, as we'll as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
United States must stand
"The government of the United
States is happy to observe tho
eXcellency's note closes with the init
nation that the imperial German gov
ernment is willing now as before, to
accept the good Office of the United
States in an attempt to come up to
an understanding with the govern
ment of Great Britain by which the
character and conditions of the war
upon the sea may be changed. The
government of the United States
would consider it privilege thus to
serve its friends and the world. 1t
stands ready at any time to convey
to either government any intimation
or suggestion the other may be will
ing to have it convey and cordially in
vites the imperial German government
to make use of its services in this way
at it's own convenience. AS the whole
world is concerned in anything that
may bring about partial accommo-
dation of interests or in anyway nit
igate the terrors of the present dis
tressing conflict.
''In the meantime whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be-
tween the parties to the war and
whatever in the opinion of the imper-
ial government have been the provo
cation or the circumstantial justifica-
tion for the past acts of its command
ers at sea, the government of the
United States confidently looks to see
the justice and humanity of the gov
Iernment of Germany vindicated in all
cases where Americans have been
wronged or their rights as neutrals
invaded.
"The government of the United
States, therefore, very earnestly and
Isolemnly rests the present question of
it's note transmitted to the imperial
German government on the fifth day
of May and relies in the representa-
tions upon the principles of humanity,
the universally recognized understand
ing of international law and the an
cient friendship of the German ma
ton.
"The government of the United
States cannot admit that the procla-
nation of war zone from which neu-
tral ships have been warned to keep
away may be made to operate in any
degree in abreviation of the rights
either of American shipmasters or of
rands and passengers on merchant
ships of belligerent nationalities. 1t
does not understand the imperial Ger
man government to question those
rights. 1t understands also to ac-
cept as established beyond question
the principles that lives of non-com-
batants cannot lawfully or rightfully
be put in jeopardy by the capture or
destruction of an unresisting mer-
chairman and to recognize the obi
cation to take sufficient precaution to
ascertain whether the merchantman
in fact is of a belligerent nation or
carrying contraband of war under
neutral flag. The government of the
United States, therefore, deems it
reasonable to expect that the imper-
ial German government will adopt
the measures necessary to put these
principles into practice in respect of
the safeguarding of American lives
and American ships and asks for as
surances that this will be done.
(Signed) ROBERT LANSING,
s"Secretary of State Ad Interim"