Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-14
CONTINUED From Page One)

marine on March IS. through which
Leon G. Thresher, an American cltl-
zen, was drowned: the attack on April
IS on the American vessel Cushing by
a German acceptance: the torpedo!ns
on May l of the American vessel Gulf
light by a German submarine, as re-
suit Of which two or more American
citizens met their death; and. finally
the torpedoing and sinking of the
steamship Lusitania, constitute a Sc
ries Of events which the government OF
the United States has observed with
growing concern, distress and amaze
ment.
Suggests Misunderstanding
"Recalling the humane and enllght-
ened attitude hitherto assumed by the
Imperial German government in mat
tiers Of international right, and partic-
ularly with regard to the freedom OF
the seas: having learned to recognize
the German views and the German in
fluence in the field Of international OBJ
legation as always engaged upon the
side Of justice and humanity, and hav-
ing understood the instructions Of the
Imperial German government to its
naval commanders to be upon the
same plane Of humane action prescrib-
ed by the naval codes of other ma
tions, the government of the Unitec
States was loath to believe-it cannot
now bring itself to believe-that these
acts, so absolutely contrary to the
VA mi n
modern warfare, could have the count
enance or sanction Of that great gov
eminent 1t feels it to be its duty
therefore, to address the Imperial Ger
man government concerning them WITT
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 vii
correct the unfortunate impression:
which have been created and vindicat'
once more the position of that govern
ment with regard to the sacred free
dom Of the seas.
Strict Accountability
THE government of the United State!
has been apprised that the imperial Ger
man government considered themselve!
to be obliged by the extraordinary cir
cumstances of the present war and the
measures adopted by their adversaries
in seeking to cut Germany off from al
commerce, to adopt methods of retalla'
ton which go much beyond the ordln2r.
methods Of warfare at sea, in the pros
lamation of a war zone from which they
Oh 20 1-n
This government has already taken oc
casion to inform the imperial German
government that it cannot admit The
adoption Of such measures or such {
warning Of danger to operate as in an!
degree an abbreviation of the right o
American shipmasters or of American
citizens bound on lawful errands as pas
sengers on merchant ships of belligeren
nationality and that it must hold the i'm
perial German government to stric
accountability for any infringement o
those rights, intentional or incidental l
does not understand the imperial Ger
man government to question those r,s:ts
1t assumes, on the contrary, that the i'm
perial government accepts as of coar5'
the rule that the lives of non-combar
ants. whether they be Of neutral citizen
ship or citizens of one of the nations a
war, can not lawfully or rightfully be pu
in jeopardy by the capture or destruction
Of an unarued merchantmen. and rccog
nize also, as all other nations do. thu
obligation to take the usual precautiol
of visit and search to ascertain whether
a suspected merchantmen is in fact O.
belligerent nationality or is in fact car
rying contraband of war under a neutra
flag.
cecries Using Submarines
The government of the United States
therefore, desires to call the attention OF
the imperial German government with
the utmost earnestness to the fact thai
the objection to their present method o.
attack against the trade of their enemies
lies in the practical inlpossibility of en-
ploying submarines in the destruction O.
commerce without disregarding those
rules of fairness, reason, justice and hui
mainly, which all modern opinion regards
as imperative. 1t is practically impossi-
Bile for the officers Of a submarine to
visit a merchantmen at sea and examine
neT papers ana cargo. II Is pFdCllCally
impossible for them to make a prize OF
her; and, if they cannot put a prize crew
on board of her, they cannot sink her
without leaving her crew and all on
board OF her to the mercy of the sea in
her small boats. These facts, 1t is un-
derstood, the imperial German govern
rnent frankly admits. We are informe
that in the instance of what we have
spoken time enough for even that poor
measure Of safety was not given and in
at least two of the cases cited not SO
much as a warning was received. Mani
testify submarines cannot be used against
merchantmen. as the last few weeks
have shown. without an inevitable viola
ton Of many sacred principles of justice
and humanity.
Rights of Citizens
American citizens act within their
indisputable rights in taking their
SHIPS and in travelling wherever their
legitimate business calls them upon
the high seas, and exercise those rights
in what should be the we'll justified
confidence that their lives will not be