Middletown transcript., 1915-06-19


the merchantmen, although the vessel
had ceased her attempt to escape when
torpedoed. These are not new circum.
stances. They have been in the minds
OF statesmen and of international
jurists throughout the DEVELOPMENT Of
naval warfare, and the Government of
the 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 fight 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 Govern
ment of the United States, however.
does not understand that the Imperial
German Government is seeking in this
case to relieve itself of liability, but
only intends to set forth the scircum-
stances which led the commander of
the submarine to allow himself to be
hurried into the course which he took.
NO GUNS ON LUsITANIA.
Your Excellency's note, in discuss
ing the loss Of American lives result
ing from the sinking of the steamship
Lusitania, adverts at some length to
certain information which the Imperial
German government has received with
regard tc the character and outfit of
that vessel, and your Excellency ex.
presses the fear that this information
may not have been brought to the at
tentton Of the government of the
United States. 1t is stated in the note
that the Lusitania was undoubtedly
equipped with masked guns, supplied
with trained gunners and special am
munition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying a corgo not permitted
under the laws of the United States
to a vessel also carrying passengers,
and serving, in virtual effect, as an
auxiliary to the naval forces of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are mat
ters concerning which the government
OF the United States is in a position to
give the Imperial German Government
ofhcial information. OF the facts al
legged in Your Excelleney's note. If
true, the government of the United
States would have been bound to take
ofhcial cognizance in performing its
recognized duty as a neutral power
and In enforcing its national laws II
was its duty to see to it that the LUST
tania was not armed for offensive
action, that she was not serving as a
transport, that she did not carry a
cargo prohibited by the statutes of the
United States, and that, in fact. she
was naval vessel Of Great Britain.
she should not receive clearance as a
merchantman; and it performed that
duty and enforced its statutes with
scrupulous vigilance through its regu-
larly constituted officials. It is able
therefore, to assure the Imperial Ger
man Government that 1t has been mis-.
informed. If the Imperial German
Government should deem itself tn he
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 sin
cerely hopes that it will submit that
evidence for consideration.
IRRELEVANT CONVENTIONS.
Whatever may be the contentious
Of the Imperial government regarding
the carriage of contraband of war on
board the Lusitania or regarding the
explosion of that material by the for.
pedo, it need only be said that in the
view of this government these conten.
tions are irrelevant to the question of
the legality of the methods used by
the German naval authorities In sink
ing the vessel
But the sinking of passenger ships
involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any special
circumstances of detail that may be
thought to affect the cases, principles
which lift 1t, as the Imperial German
government will no doubt be quick to
recognize and acknowledge, out of the
class Of ordinary subjects of diplomatic
discussion or of international contro-
versy. Whatever be the other facts
regarding the Lusitania the principal
fact is that a great steamer primarily
and chiefly a conveyance for passen-
gers and carrying more than a thou