Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17

hostile act by German aircraft or yes
| sells OF war, In satisfactorily estab-
lished: and the government Of the
United States will In due course lay
| before the imperial German govern
ment as II requests, full information
conc erning the attack on the steamer
| Gushing.
| with regard 10 the sinking OF the
| steamer F'aiaba, by which an Ameri-
can citizen lost his life, the govern
ment OF the United States liz surprised
to find the imperial German govern
ment contending that an effort on the
| part OF a merchantmen TO escape cap
| ture and secure assistance alters the
| obligation OF the officer seeking to
make the capture In respect to the
safety OF the lives OF those on board
the merchantmen, although the vessel
has ceased her attempt to escape
| when torpedoed.
Principles Do Not Alter.
these are not new circumstances.
They have been In the minds OF states
men and OF international jurists
throughout the development Of naval
United States does not understand
that they have ever been held to alter
the principles of humanity upon which
| 1t has insisted Nothing but actual
forcible resistance or continued 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
passengers or crew. The government
OF the United States. however, does
not understand that the imperial Ger,
man government is seeking in this
| case to relieve itself OF liability, but
| only intends to set forth the circum-
| stances which led the commander of
the submarine to allow himself to be
hurried into the course which he took.
Gives Official Information.
"Your excellencys note. in discuss.
| ing the loss OF American lives re.
snlting from the sinking of the steam
ship Lusitania. adyerts at some length
to certain information which the I'm
L p1AA1i AIth0A ha1 AE1HlS'
| ed with regard to the character and
| outfit Of that vessel, and your excel.
lency expresses the fear that this in
| formation may not have been brought
| to the attention OF the government OF
1 the United States Ii Is stated In the
| note that the Lusitanai was undoubted
| ly equipped with masked guns supplied
| with trained gunners and special am,
mnnitlon, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying cargo not permitted
under the laws of the United States
to vessel also carrying passengers
and serving. In virtual effect, as ali
| auxiliary to the naval force OF Great
Britain. Fortunately these are matters
concerning which the government OF
the United States Is In position to
give the Imperial German government
Official information.
Lusitania Declared unarmed.
"Of the facts alleged in your excel
iency's note. II true. the government
of the United States would have been
bound to take official cognizance in
performing it's recognized duty as a
neutral power ard In enforcing its ma.
tional laws. II was its duty to see
to II that the Lusitania was not armed
| for offensive action, that she was not
serving as a transport. that she did not
carry cargo prohibited by the sta.
tutes OF the United States and that, II
| In fact she was naval vessel OF Great
| Britain she should not receive clear.
ance as u merchantmen; ard II per.
| formed that duty and enforced its
statutes with scrupuious vigilance
through It's regularly constituted offi.
| Gals. II In able. therefore. to assure
the Imperial German government that
II has been misinformed II the I'm
| periai German government should
deem itself to be in possession Of con,
vincing evidence that the officials of
| the government of the United States
did not perform these duties with thor.
oushness the government of the Unit
ed States sincerely hopes that 1t will
| submit that evidence for consideration
German Contentious Irrelevant.
Whatever may be the contentious
OF the Imperial German government re
garding the carriage OF contraband OF
war on board the Lusitaaia or regard
| ing the explosion OF that material by
the torpedo, 1t need only be said that
| In the view Of this government these
| contentious are irrelevant 10 the aues
| ton OF legality of the methods used
| by the German naval authorities in
/ s,akin.s tha vnQ9al
but the sinking OF the passense,
ships involves principles OF humanity
which throw into the background any
special circumstances OF detail thai
may be thought To affect the cases
principles which lift 1t. as the impe
rial German government win no doab'
be quick to recognize and acknowl
edge, out OF the class or ordinary sub
jects OF diplomatic discussion or of In
ternattonal controversy. Whatever b,
the other facts regarding the Lust
tania. the principal fact Is that grea
steamer. primarily and chiefly con
vesance for passengers and carrying
more than thousand souls who has
no part or lot In the conduct OF tn,
war, was torpedoed and sunk withou