The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-06-17

!
uathorities IN sinking the vessel.
but the sinking ot passenger ships |
| involves principles Of humanity which
throw into the background any spe-
cial circumstances cf detail that may
! bs thought to affect the cases, princi-
! pies which lift il, as the Imperial Ger
! man government viii no doubt be
! quick to recognize and acknowledge,
! out Of the class OF ordinary subjects
/ CT diplomatic discussion Or of inteTna-
| ticnal controversy. Whatever be the
! other facts regarding the Lusitania,
the principal fact is that great
steamer, primarily and chiefly a con-
Veyance for passengers, and carrying
more than 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 warning,
and that men. Wollen and children
were sent to their death in circum-
| stances unparalleled IN modern war
fare. The fact that more than one
| hundred american citizens were
among those who peTi+1ed made it tho
duty Of the government OF the United
States to- speak Of these things and
once more, with solemn ernrhasis, to
cali the attention OF the Imperial Ger
man government to the er:ye ,respon-
sibility which the government Of the
Tnited States conceives that 1t has
incurred in. this tcaeic occurrence.
ana to the indisputabl principle upon
which that responsibility rests. The
government OF the United States is
contending for something much great
er than more rights OF property or
privileges Of commerce. 1t is con-
i tending for nothing less high and sac
red than the rights OF humanity, which
every government honors itself in re-
spect.ng and which no government
is justified IL resigning on behalf Of
those under its care and authority.
Only her actual resistance to cap
tnre or refusal 10 stop when ordered
&c do SO lor the pIrT}cse Of visit could
} have Afforded the commander Of the
: submarine any iHstil cation for so
!: much as putting the lives OF those on
! board the sh'5 in Jeopardy. This~prin-
: cirle the government of the United
? states understands the explicit in
= structiols issued on August s, 1914 by
s the Imperial German admiralty to +,
: commanders at sea to have recogniz-
!; ed and embodied, as do the naval codes
4 Of all other nations, and upon it every
g traveller and seaman had a right to
: depend. It is upon this principle es
t num1nty as wei as upon the Law
4 founded upon this principle that the
i United States must stand.
: 'The government OF the United
Q States IS happy to observe that Yo111
$ s1xcellency,s note closes with the in
: tinatton that the Imperial German
4 Government .willtng, now as before
l. to accept the good Offices Of the Uni
9 eG states IN an attempt to come to al
y understanding with the government O
9 Great ~REitain by which tie cbaracte1
g and conditions CT the war upon the
0 s7a may be changed. The Govern
= ment Of the United States would con
q sider it privilege thus to serve It:
q friends and the world. II stands read,
Il at any time to convey to either Goy
[ ernment any intimation or suggestion
0 the other '1siay be willing to have i
G convey and cordially invites the II,
0 Perial German Government TO max.
9 use OF its services IN this way at it
convenience. The whole world is con
S ce-ned IN anything that may brin;
t about oven q partial accommodat!o1
l. OF interests or in any way I'itis sat
e the terrors Of the present d;s.ressin,
h conflict.
IS In the meantime, whatever al
r rangement may happily be made be
1T tween the parties to the war an
IS whatever may IN the opinion Of tn
ii Imperial German Government nav,
= been the proyocation Or the eircun
IS stantial justification for the past act
Ia OF its commanders at sea, tho Go,
K ernment OF the United States! conf
n IDENTIFY looks to see the justice an
s. humanity Of the Government Of Ge1
g many vindicated in all cases wher
VS. AZ, orleans have been wrong.d Q
so their rights as neutrals invaded
- The Government Of tie Unite
= States therefore very earnestly an
y very solennly Ienews the raprcsel
:. tation5 OF its note transmitted ID tn
- Imperial German Government GA Il.
le fifteenth CT May and relies in thes
% repre3 entations upon the principle
III cf humanity, the universally reeO.
'ie nized understandings Of intcrna ton:
- law and the ancient friendship OF th
~ German Nation.
-. "The Government Of the Unite
- States cannot admit that<:tne pro
~ ~ iamation of war zont from whic
W neutral ships. have been warned |
- keep away may be made to operat
- IS in any degree an abbrevation
T the rights either OF American ski
-. masters or of American citizeI
- bound on lawful errands as passa
49, gers on merchant ships Of belligere7
-. nationality. 1t does not understaT
~. the Imperial German Government
- question those rights. It understan.
co. it, also, to accept as established
- yond question the principle that t
1.. lives Of non-combatants canSbt IL
=. fully or rightfualy be put III leopard
- by the capture Or destruction Of ;
x. unresis,Iag merchantnan, and to rc
ognize the obligation 10 take sufiicic
precautiol to ascertain whether a st
~. pected merchantmen is in fact CT b
ligerent nationality or is III fact carr