The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-10
DERNBURG JUST|F|ES
SINKING OF BIG ship
Declares Amy Ship Carrying Contra
band Is liable to Destruction ON
High Seas.
SAYS LUsITANTA'S MANIFEST
SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
Germany Anxious Not TO Harm
Americans, But They Must Take
Proper Precautions for Their Own
Safety.

Cleveland, Ohio. May s.--Alieging
that England carried American pas
sengers on her ships as shields to pro-
tect her importataons of arms. DR..
Dernburg yesterday dictated state
ment which he characterized as the
most important statement he has yet
issued in this country
Great Britain declared the North
Sea war zone in the winter" he
said. mo protest was made by the
United States. or any neutral. Great
Britain held up all neutral ships car
ryang noncontraband goods. No food
stuffs OF any kind have actually reach
ed Germany since the war began. In
Fternattonal law does not recognize any
right to starve out a whole people.
In retaliation Germany declared
the waters around England a war
zone and started a submarine war
fare II became known in February
that British ships were. flying Itne
American flag as a protection.
Great Britain replied by officially
declaring its purpose to starve l2o.-
o00,0 Germans and Austrians. The
United States very thoughtfully tried
to mediate. proposing that foodstuffs
should be passed and submarine war
fare be stopped. Germany agreed,
England turned the proposal down.
Liable to Destruction.
Vessels carrying contraband are
liable to destruction unless they can
be taken to a port of the country
that captures them. OH is contra
band. like war munitions. and, all
metals. The master OF the Guiflight
swore before cnstoms officials 10 his
cargo of oil for France. The master
OF the Lusitania similarly swore to
his manifest of cargo of metals and
ammunition. Both the Gulfiight and
the Lusitania were attacked, it is OBJ
vious.
THE Lusitanias manifest showed
she carried for Liverpool 100000
pounds Of brass, $4,000 pounds of cop
per. Is9 cases of military goods. 1,27t
cases of ammunition. and for London
1900 cases Of cartridges.
Vessels of that kind can be seized
and destroyed under Hague rules
without any respect to war zone
The Lusitania was British auxiliary
cruiser. a man-o'-war. The passen-
gers had had fun warning, first by
the German note to England In Feb
ruary. second by advertisement.
Must Take Proper Precautions.
Germany wants to do anything
reasonable so as not to make the
United States or its citizens suffer in
any way. But she cannot do so I'M
less Americans Will take necessary
precautions to protect themselves
from dangers of which they are cog
infant.
what Germany has done she has
done. by way of retaliation after her
offer through President Wilson re-
garding submarine warfare was turn
ed down and after Britain declared
the war-was directed toward the I 10
100000 innocent noncombatants, wo-
men and children.
Americans car do their own think
issg xhem the facts are laid before
them
Asked spointbta.nk whether. be anti-
cipated action by the United States
which might result In pulling her ifito
tho war because of the Lusita MIA s
sinking. DR.. DernburG said:
THAT In question / cannot discuss.
/ /, can emily say y that. any ship fiying
the American nag and not carrying
Icontraband OF war Is. and win be, as
safe as a cradle.
Cunard Liners Reply.
New York, MAs, b. Answering pE
Darr1 hifrr,u xfafAneut that fha I,tni-