Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1915-07-30

dressed to the imperial German gov
ernment with regard to it's announce
ment of war zone and the use of sub
marines against merchantmen on the
high seas-the principle that the high
seas are free, that the character and
cargo of a merchantmen must first be
ascertained before she can lawfully be
seized or destroyed and that the lives
Of noncombatants may in no case be
put in jeopardy unless the vessel resists
or seeks to escape after being sum
moned to submit to examination; for
belligerent act of retaliation is per Sc
an act beyond the law, ard the de-
tense of an act as retaliatory is an ad-
mission that it is illegal.
Can't Change Neutral Rights.
"The government of the United
States is, however, keenly disappoint-
ed to find that The imperial German
government regards itself as in large
degree exempt from the obligation to
observe these principles, even where
neutral vessels are concerned, by what
1t believes the policy and practice OF
the government of Great Britain to
be in the present war with regard to
neutral commerce.
"The imperial German government
will readily understand that the gov
ernment of the United States cannot
discuss the policy of the government
of Great Britain with regard to neutral
trade except with that government it.
self, and that 1t must regard the con-
duct of other belligerent governments
as irrelevant to any discussion with
the imperial German government OF
swhat this government regards as grave
and unjustifiable violations of the
rights of American citizens by German
man acts, how ever justifiable they may
be thought to be against an enemy who
is believed to have acted in contra
vention of law and humanity, are man
ifestly indefensible when they deprive
neutrals of their acknowle ssed rights,
particularly when they violate the
righ to live itself.
IF a belligerent cannot retaliate
against an enemy without injuring the
lives of neutrals, as well as their prop
erty, humanity,as well as justice and a
due regard for the dignity of neutral
powers, should dictate that the prac-
tice be discontinued. If persisted in it
would In such circumstances constitute
an objectionable offense against the
sovereignty of the neutral nation af-
fected
"The government of the United
States is not unmindful of the extra
ordinary conditions created by this
war or of the radical alterations of cir
cumstances and method of attack pro-
duced by the use of instrumentalities
of naval warfare which the nations of
the world cannot have had in view
when the existing rules of interna-
tional law were formulated and it is
ready to make every reasonable allow
ance for these novel and unexpected
aspects of war at sea; but it cannot
consent to abate any essential or fun
damental right of its people because of
a mere alteration of circumstance The
rights of neutrals in time of war are
based upon principle, not upon expe-
diency, and the principles are immuta-
BILE. 1t is the duty and obligation of
belligerents to find way to adapt the
new circumstances to them.
Reparation For Lusitania.
"The events of the past two months
have clearly indicated that it is possi-
BILE and practicable to conduct such
submarine operations as have charac-
terized the activity of the imperial
German navy within the so-called war
zone in substantial accord with the ac-
cepted practices of regulated warfare.
The whole world has looked with in
terest and increasing satisfaction at
the demonstration of that possibility
by German naval commanders. 1t is
manifestly possible, therefore, to lift
the whole practice of submarine at
aroused and remove the chief cause of
offense.
'In view of the admission of Illegal
ity made by the imperial German gov
ernment when it pleaded the right of
retaliation in defense of it's acts, and
in view of the manifest possibility of
conforming to the established rules CT
naval warfare, the government of the
United States cannot believe that the
imperial government will longer re-
frain from disavowing the wanton act
Of it's naval commander In sinking the
Lusitania or from offering reparation
for the American lives lost, so far as
reparation can be made for needless
destruction of human life by an ille-
gal act.
"The government of the United
States, while not Indifferent to the
friendly spirit in which it is made,
cannot accept the suggestion of the
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