The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-05-19
u. S. ASKS FOR A STOP In USE
OF SUBMARINES
GUARDS CITIZENS RIGHTS
German Government is Advised of
the Dangers to Which Neutrals Are
Exposed in the Wide Use of the
Submarine Against Enemy Mer-

The United States government hos
cabled Ambassador Gerard for pre-,
sentation to the German government
note calling attention 'to the grave
situation which has resulted" from
violation of American rights on the
high seas, eliminating in the sinking
of the Lusitcnia, with loss OF more
than one hundred American lives.
The full text Of the note was made
public Thursday night by the state
department as follows:
Department of State,
Washington, May 49, 1915.
1.-THE Secretary Of State to the Am
bassador at Berlin:
please call on the minister OF for
eign affairs and, after reading to him
this communication, leave with him
copy.
"In view of recent acts of the Ger
man authorities in violation of Amer
lean rights on the high seas, which
eliminated in the torpedoing and
sinking Of the British steamship Lusi-
tania on May Z, 1915, by which over
one hundred American citizens lost
their lives, it is clearly wise and de-
sirable that the government of the
United States and the Imperial Ger
man government should come to a
clear and full understanding as to
the grove situation which has result
ed
1.-THE sinking of the British pas
senger steamer Falaba by a German
submarine on March %, through
which Leon C. Thresher, an Ameri-
can citizen, wac drowned the attack
on April % on the American vessel
Gushing by q German aeroplane; the
torpedoing on May / Of the Ameri-
can vessel Gulflight by German
submarine, as a result Of which two
or more American citizens met their
death, and finally, the torpedoing and
sinking of the steamship Lusitania,
constitute a series of events which
the government of the United States
has observed with growing concern,
distress and amazement.
Previous Attitude.
Recalling the humane and en-
lightened attitude hitherto assumed
by the Imperial German government
il. matters Of international right, and
particularly with regard to the free
dom of the seas; having learned to
recognize the German views and the
German influence on the field of in
ternational obligation as always en-
gagged upon the side of justice and
humanity, and having understood the
instructions of. the. Imperial German
government to its naval commanders
to be upon the same plane of humane
action prescribed by the naval codes
Of other nations, the government of
the United States was loath to be-
lieVe-it can not now bring itself to
believe-that these acts, so absolute
ly contrary to the rules, the practices
and the spirit of modern warfare,
could have the countenance or sane
ton of that great government.
1T feels it to be its duty, there
fore, to address the Imperial German
government concerning them with
the utmost frankness and in the earn
est hope that it is not mistaken in ex-
pecting action on the part of the I'm
perial German government which will
correct the unfortunate impressions
which have been created and Vindi-
cate once more the position of that
government with regard to the sacred
freedom of the seas.
Retaliatory Methods.
1.-The government of the United
States has been apprised that the I'm
perial German government consider
ed themselves to be obliged by the
extraordinary circumstances of the
present war and the measures adopt
ed by their adversaries in seeking to
cut Germany off from all commerce
to adopt methods of retaliation which
go much beyond the ordinary meth
DDS of warfare at sea, in the procla-
nation of a war zone from which
they have warned neutral ships tc
keep away.
"This government has already
taken occasion to inform the I'm,
perial German government that il
can not admit the adoption of such
measures or such a warning of dan
ger to operate as in any degree an
abbreviation of the rights of Amerl'
can ship masters or Of American citi,
zens bound on lawful errands as pas
sengerS on merchant ships of bellig'
erent nationality, and that it must
hold the Imperial German govern
ment to a strict accountability fol
any infringement of those rights, in
ternational or incidental.
"It does not understand the I'm
perial German government to ques
ton those rights. 1t assumes, on the
contrary, that the Imperial govern
ment accept, as Of course, the rule
that the lives of non-combatants
whether they be Of neutral citizen
ship or citizens of one of the n;tion:
at war, cannot lawfully or rightfulll
be put in jeopardy by the capture OF
destruction of an unarmed merchant
man, and recognize also, as all othel
| nations do, the obligation to take the
usual precaution of visit and search
to ascertain whether a suspected
merchantmen is in fact of belliger
ent nationality or is in fact carrying
contraband of war under a neutra
flag.