The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-05-14
GERMANY WOULD
DICKER WITH u. S.
Proposal to Call OFF Subma-
rinG Raids COnditiOnaIly.
BRITAIN MUST QUIT BLOCKADE

Apart on Rights of NeutraIs-Amer-
lean Government Insists Crews and
Passengers Are Entitled to Warn
ing Before Torpedoing.
WASHINGTON, D. C. = Germany
would like to dicker with the United
States regarding her submarine at
tacks on American life and property.
The basis of the bargain which Ger
many would like to make is this:
That Germany will abandon her
submarine operations involving losses
to neUtraIs if Great Britain will per
nit foodstuffs to enter Germany.
Germany holds:
All that has been done has been
after repeated warning. What were
Americans doing on the Lusitania AZ
ter the warnings issued in notes to
the American government and pub
lished in the American press? Re
spCnSibility rests with the English
government, not with the German
government, for the loss Of life. The
Lusitania's passengers preferred to
trust in the protection of Englar>
rather than in the warnings of Ger
many; they did not get any prOtet
ton from England
The Lusitania was carrying contr-
band of war. (The statement that
she was armed is not put forward TO
Germany since Collector Malone's Off
cial denial of the German charge
She was practically under the orders
Of the British government She was
carrying military persons. There
fore the United States should not
have permitted her to carry passer-
gers out of American ports in view
Of the warnings given.
Warning had been given of what
might happen and, as the British gov
eminent has ordered it's merchant
vessels to attack German submarines
no further warning could be given
She was tOrpedoed and sunk just q
other British vessels will be tOrpe
decd and sunk to the limit of the
ability of the German naval forces.
The loss Of life is regretted but the
blame is not to be placed upon Ger
many, and it does not alter the Ger.
man point of view.
Fighting for Freedom of Sea.
Germany is fighting for the freedom
of the seas. Great Britain exercises
a tyranny over the seas. NeutraIs
should realize this and act accordn
IL If Great Britain would observe the
law the seas would be free and there
would be no occasion for reprisals.
The underlying issue as presented
to the United States in its role of
neutral and quite apart from the
charges Germany and England ne.le
against each other is:
u. S. Widely Differs.
Shall the United States, as lead
ing and neutral power, permit the
Germans to upset a centuries-old
principle of warfare?
Should the German rule be permit
ted to prevail, all nations will have
to rush into the building of subma-
riHes and the carrying of contraband
on the seas will be so difficult that
every nation will have to provide
within its own borders sufficient sup
plies of war material to carry it
through a prolonged struggle.
The German argument that the real
freedom of the seas is to be obtained
for neutrals by compelling Great Brit
air to permit importatiOns of food
into Germany is not accepted as justi-
tying the attacks which have been
actually delivered by Germany against
the American flag, American life and
American property.
Submarines Not Above Law.
The United States recognizes tho
right of Germany to use submarines
but only subject to the same laws as
govern the use of warships. These
are to attack enemy warships to
stop, visit and search merchant yes,
sells suspected of carrying contraband.
It adds the right to destroy contra
band cargoes and the vessels carry
Zig them if it is impossible to take
them into port, with the limitation
that non-cOmbatant passengers and
crews must always first be put in a
place of safety This limitation the
United States regards as not only the
law of nations but the law of human
ity.
Germany's warnings, whether in of
fetal communications or in newspaper
advertisements, are not accepted as
altering the case in the least A man
who warns his neighbor that he is
about to murder him, does not by that
warning justify his commission OF the
act. Americans cannot be deprived OF
their rights on the high seas by Ger
many warning them that they will be
in danger if they go on the high seas
Lusitania Had Rights.