The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-06-11

unparalleled IN modern warfare.
The fac that more than one hun.
dred American citizens were amot..
those who persisted made Il the duty
of the government OF the United
States 70 speak Of these thlnss aud
once more, with solemn emphasis. To
call the attention Of the Imperial gov.
ernment 10 the grave reaponsibllity
which the government Of the United
states conceiven that II has Incurred
In this tragic occurrence. and to the
in~dispu,able principle upon which
that responsibility rests.
The government OF the United
states y c%ontendinF FOR something
much greater than mere rlghfa OF
properly or privileges OF
u Is ~coniendinE Tor nothing less hIgh
and sacred than the rights OF human
ity which every government honors
Itself In respecting and which no gov
eminent Il justified In reslening on
behalf of those under Its care and au-
tbority.
Only her actual resistance to cap
ture or refusal 10 stop when ordered
To do so for the purpose OF visit could
have Afforded the commander 81 the
submarine any Justification for 10
much as putting the lives Of those on
bonrd h ship In jeopardy. This
principle the government OF IN Unit.
ed States understa nds the explicit In
! structions issued on August 2, f91f.
by the imperial German admiralty 20
its commanders at sea 20 have recog-
niaed and embodied, as do the naval
codes Of all other nations. and upon
Il every traveller and seaman had q
right 20 depend. II II upon this prin-
ciple OF humanity as wen as upon the
law founded upon this principle that
the United States must stand.
The government OF the United
States Is happy TO observe that your
~exoellency's note closes with the inti-
nation that the imperial government
II willing. now as before. To accept
the good offices Of the United states
Ia an at,empt to come TO an under
standing with the government Of
Great Britain by which the character
and conditions Of tho war upon the
sea may be changed. The government
Of the United States would consider u
n privilege thus to serve its friends
and the world. II stands ready AZ
any time TO convey To either govern
ment ans intimation or suggestion the
other may be willing to have Il convey
and cordially invites the imperial
| German government 20 make use Of
It's services In this way at is eonven-
fence. The whole world II concerned
In anything that may bring about even
a partial accommodation Of Interests
| or in any way mitigate the tcrrors OF
the present distressing conflict.
IN the meantime. whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be-
tween the parties 10 the war. and
whatever may in the opinion of the
imperial German government have
been the p~rovocation or the clrcum-
stantlal justification for the past acts
Of It's commanders az sea. the govern
ment of the United states confidently
locks to see the Justice and humanity
OF the government Of Germany Vindi-
Gated IA all cases whore Americans
| have been wronged or their rights rs
acutrals invaded.
THE government Of the United
States therefore very earnestl, and
very soiemnly rcnews the representa-
| lions Of it, note transmitted To- the
imperial German government on the
| 18Th az May. and relies in these repre-
] sensations upon the principles ~ hu-
mainly. the universally recognized un-
d~erstandings Of international law and
the ancient friendship OF the German
nation.
The government OF the United
| states cannot admit that the procl'-
nation Of war zone from which aeu-
| trai ships have oeen warned 20 Keep
away may be made to operate a. IN
nny degree an abhrovi1tion Of tho
| rights either 81 the American ship
masters or Of American citizens bound
on lawful brands as passenger on
merchant ships OF belligerent nation
nIIty. u does not understand the I'M
periaI German government 90 qhcsll"n
those rights. It understands ~ alN"'
10 accept az established beyond ph'f-
ton the principle that the Hves ~
rop-combatants cannot laNfullE OF
rtehtfuliy be put In JEOPARDY hy the
%cnpturc or destruction % an unr'slFt-
ing merchantmen, and N vi
rho obligation TO take sufficient pre-
caution to ascertain whether q sus-
nocted merhcantman Is In fact 81 bel
| urerent nationality or n In TACT car
rying contrannnd Of war under a
neutral rag. Il,
"Tbe government OF the United
states therefore deems Il reasonable
10 expect that the German imperial
government will adopt the measures
necessary to put these principles INTO
practice In respect 81 the safeFuard-
Ing Of American lives n American
ships us for assurances that this VIII
be done.
6siuped) "ROBEE'f LANSING,
Secretary Of state, ad Interim