The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-16
Firm, But Pacific,
Is American Note

vessel also carrying passengers, anu
serving, in virtual effect, as an aux
iliary to the naval forces of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are mat
ters concerning which the govern
ment of the United States is in a po-
sition to give the imperial German
government official information. OF
the facts alleged in your excellency's
note, if true, the government of the
United States would have been bound
to take official cognizance in per-
forming its recognized duty as a neu-
trail power and in enforcing its ma
tional laws. 1t was it's duty to see
to it the Lusitania was not ARMED
for offensive action, that she was not
serving as transport, that she did
not carry a cargo prohibited by the
statutes of the United States, and
that, if in fact she was a naval vessel
of Great Britain, she should not re-
ceive clearance as a merchantmen
and it performed that duty and en-.
forced its statutes with scrupulous
vigilance through its regularly consti-
tuted officials. 1t is able, therefore,
to assure the imperial German gov
ernment that it has been misin-
formed. If the imperial German
government should deem itself to be
in possession of convincing evidence
that the officials of the government
of the United States did not perform
these duties with thoroughness, the
government of the United States sim
cerely hopes that it will submit that
evidence for consideration.
These Points Irrelevant.
"Whatever may be the contentious
of the imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contraband
of war on board the Lusitania or re-
garding the explosion of that materi-
al by the torpedo, it need only be said
that in the view of this government
these contentious are irrelevant to
the question of the legality of the
methods used by the German naval
authorities in sinking the vessel.
"But the sinking of passenger ships
involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any spe-
cial circumstances of detail that may
be thought to affect the case, princi-
pies which lift it, as the imperial Ger
man government will no doubt be
quick to recognize and acknowledge,
out Of the class of ordinary subjects
of diplomatic discussion or of inter-
national controversy. Whatever be
the other facts regarding the Lusi-
tania, the pertinent fact is that a
great steamer, primarily and chiefly
a conveyance for passengers, and
carrying more than a thousand souls
who had no part or lot in the conduct
of the war, was torpedoed and sunk
without so much as challenge or a
warming, and that men, women and
children were sent to their death in
circumstances unparalleled in modern
warfare. The fact that more than
100 American citizens were among
those who perished made it the duty
of the government of the United
States to speak of these things and
once more, with solemn emphasis, to
call the attention of the imperial Ger
man government to the grave respon-
sibility which the government of the
United States conceives that it has
incurred in this tragic occurrence,
and to the indisputable principle up
on which that responsibility rests.
A Great Principle.
"The government of the United
States is contending for something
much greater than mere rights of
property or privileges of commerce.
1t is contending for nothing less high
and sacred than the rights of hu-
manity, which every government
honors itself in respecting anc which
no government is justified in resign
ing on behalf of these under its care
and authority. Only her actual re-
sistance to capture or refusal to stop
when ordered to do so for the pur-
pose of visit could have afforded the
commander of the submarine any
justification for so much as putting
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