Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-12

tcruauonai law by Germany, LED TO Brit
ish rc}risals. which differ from the Ger
nan action in that His Majesty's govern
meIt scrg pulously respect tne lives O.
n-toinbatants travelling in merchant
vessels and do not even enforce the rec
ocIll1ed penalty Of conascation for q
breach Of the blockade whereas the
Ge'.2au policy is TO sink enemy or 1eu-
1ral v-asels II sight, with total disre-
gard for the lives Of non-colnbat.nts ami
the property Of neutrals
The Germans state that. u spite Of
Their offer to stop their submarine war
III case the starvation plan was given
". Great Britain has taken even more
stringent blockade measures. The an
swer 10 this Is as follows:
Other infra-tions
II was not understood from the reply
Cf the German government that they
were prepared 10 spandoI the principle
of sinking vessels 10y submarine They
have refused 20 ahandon The use of mines
To- offensive purposes Oh the high seas on
any condition. They have committed
various other infractions OF International
law. such az strewi:lg the high seas and
trade routes with mines, and British and
neutral vessels Will continue t. rUn dan
Sc from this course whether Germany
abandons her submarine blockade or not.
~ should De noted thar since the en-
3ioEment Of submarines contrary 10 in
ternauonal Law the Germans also have
hccn guilty Of the use Of asphyxiatins
gas. The have even proceeded 10 the
poisoning o. water il south africa.
Luoitania onir17ed
The Germans represent British ner-
chan, vessels cenerally as armed with
guns ;ud say that they repeatedly ram
submarines. The answer 70 this Is a.
follows
1t Is nor TO be wondered at TIA. l-cr-
chant vessels, knowing they are Aahie 70
be sunk without warning and without
any chance being given those on board 10
save their lives, should take measures
for self-defence. With regard TO the Lu-
sitania
The vessel was not armed on her last
voyage and had not been armed during
the whole wa,.
The Germans attempt 10 Justify the
sinking OF the Lusitania by the fact thai
she had arms and ammunition on board
The presence of contraband or board a
neutral vessel does render her liable to
capture but certainly NOT To destruction
with the loss of q large portion OF he,
crew and passengers. Every enemy yes
sci is q fair prize, but there is no legal
provision, not 10 speak OF the principles
OF humanity, which would Justify what
can only be prescribed as murder be-
cause the vessel carries coI1traband.
The Germans maintain that after re-
peated official and unofficial warnings
His Ma}estys government. were respoll-
sible for the loss OF life as they con-
sidered themselves able TO declare thai
the boat ran no risk and thus light heart
eddy assume the responsibility for the
human lives on board q steamer, which
owing to its armament and cargo is liza
bic TO destruction.
The reply thereto is:
First, His Majesty's government new
er declared the boat ran no risk.
Second, the fact that the Germans
issued warning shows that the crime
was premeditatea. They had no more
right TO murder after warning than be-
fore.
Third. in spite of their attempts 10
put the blame on Great Britain il will tax
the ingenuity even of the Germans to
explain away the fact that if was Ger
man torpedo. fired by German sea-
man from q German submarine, that
sank the vessel and caused over one
thousand deaths