Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-27

in modern warfare" and that such a
crime involved an indisputable prin-
ciple upon which the American gov
eminent must stand. 1t was further
informed that the American Gov
eminent would omit no word or act
necessary to protect the lives and Sc
cure the rights Of American citizens,
and that it would expect the diseon-
tinuance of practices inimical to both.
AL this is ignored in the German note.
There is no apology. no promise of
PREPARATION. There is no recognition
of the claims either of law or of hui
mainly. There is no acknowledgment
even of the specific obligations i'm
posed by the treaty of 1898. The Ger
man Government defends 1t almost
glories In. it's brutal and savage
methods of warfare 1t affects to be-
lieve that 1t has absolutely no choice.
that the issue is the starving of the
German people or the loss of their in
dependence. 1t repeats the hypocriti-
cal plea that ii is carrying on a war
of defeuce and that the "contraven-
ton Of International law" by it's enc
mics as compelled it to fight the devil
with fire. 1t is unrepentant defiant,
in its disregard Of every demand the
American Government has made. ev-
cry principle it has enunciated.
Nor is this all. Rejecting law, de-
nying justice, the German Govern
ment attempts to make neutral rights
matter of bargain and sale. 1t ad-
mits willingness, under conditions
prescribed by itself, to forego murder
on the high seas in certain specified
cases. 1t still holds that warnings Of
danger should be sufficient to keep
neutrals away from arbitrarily estab-
lished war zones, and insolently OBJ
serves that there appears to be mo
compelling necessity for American
citizens to travel to Europe in time
of war on ships carrying an enemy
flag" II there is any necessity for
their travelling at all, II will gracious
ly permit them to do so if they ac-
cept certain stipulations. Neutral
ships will be given safe passage if
they carry no contraband, if they
have special markings, and II the
commanders of German submarines
are notified a reasonable time in ad-
vance" A reasonable number" Of
such ships may fly the American flag.
Nay, If the traffic demands it. as many
as four enemy passenger steamships
may be used for passenger traffic I'M
der similar guarantees. This excess
sive liberality approaches prodigality.
The United States, by abandoning all
its rights as neutral, can have a few
of them back by kind permission Of
Germany. Meanwhile Germany would
gain all she has asked for-the pro-
hibition Of contraband, interference
with the transport of munitions Of
war and a free hand for submarine
warfare. without regard to the safety
OF non -combatants, upon the bulk OF
transatlantic commerce. Such pro-
posals are SO fantastic, so far from
any principles either of belligerency
or of neutrality which have hitherto
obtained, that the conclusion that
they were made to be rejected can
be resisted only on the assumption
that Germany has lost all sense OF
proportion, all power of logical argu-
ment. and has become the paranoiac
qualified rejection of them is a duty
which the Administration owes to the
United States and all the world.
Was it for such an end as this that
the American people exercised an al
most unexampled seH-restraint under
extreme provocation, and the Presi-
dent appealed to 1.-The sacred principles
OF justice and humanity" and offered
Germany q way to escape consistent
with her dignity and honor? Was it for
this that the discussion was allow
ed to drag on, that the impertinences
of the German ambassador went I'M
resented, that negotiations were sus-
pended while his emissary, DR.. Meyer
Gerhard, went to Berlin to inform the
German Government of the true sit
uation, to impress 1t with the neces-
sity Of conciliating American public
opinion? What could he have said to
convince It that such a note as this
would be received except with amaze
ment scorn, derision, anger? Do the
German Emperor and his advisers
really think that our patience means
poltroonery. that we have forgotten,
or can forget, those unquiet graves
OF the Irish coast, the known and the
unknown, the men of affairs, the
wives and mothers, the helpless lit
tie children who persisted in that aw-
full tragedy? There is but one an
swer to such questions as these. and
every true American hopes and be-
lieves that the President will make it
promptly and emphatically. Discus
sion Is useless; debate is futile. Ger
AAn IA mill mi
dissvow, q crime against humanity:
she win not abandon policy that
moclzs at civilization. The President
vindicate the honor Of the United
States. The word has been spoken
and rejected. It Ii now time for tho