Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-06-16

4
government of the United States. how
ever. does not understand that the i'm
perial German government is seeking
in this case to relieve itself Of Habil-
ity, but only intends to set forth the
/ circumstances which led the com
mander of the submarine to allow him
self 10 be hurried into the course
which he took
Lusitania Was Not Armed.
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 i'm
perial German government has re-
| ceiYed with regard to character and
outfit Of that vessel, and your excel
/ lency expresses the fear that this in
formation may not have been brought
| to the attention of the go, eminent of
the United States. II is stated in the
the note that the Lusitania was I'M
doubtedly equipped with masked guns.
supplied with trained gunners and spe-
cial ammunition, transporting troops
| from Canada, carrying a cargo not
| permitted under the laws of the
| United States to a vessel also carry
| ing passengers, and serving, in virtual
effect. as an auxiliary to the naval
forces of Great Britain. Fortunately
these are matters concerning which
the government of the United States
is in position to give the imperial
German government official informa-
ton. OF the facts alleged in your ex-
cellency's note, If true, the govern
ment of the United States would have
been bound to take official cognizance
in performing its recognized duty as a
neutral power AMI in enforcing it's ma
tional laws. II was its duty to see to
it that the Lusitania was not armed
for offensive action, that she was not
serving as a transport, that she did
not carry cargo prohibited by the
statutes of the United States and
that, if in fact she was a naval vessel
of Great Britain, she would not re-
eeive clearanCes as a merchantmen;
and it performed that duty and en-
| forced its statutes with scrupulous
vigilance through its regularly consti-
tuted officials. 1t il able, therefore, to
assure the imperial German. govern
ment that ii has been misinformed.
Contentious Are Irrelevant.
"If the imperial German government
should deem itself to be in possession
of convincing evidence that the off,
cials of the government of the United
States did not perform these duties
with thoroughness, the government of
the United States sincerely hopes that
it viii submit that evidence for con-
sideration.
Whatever may be the contentious
of the imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contraband
of war on board the Lusitania or re-
garding the explosion of that material
by the torpedo, it need only be said
that in the view of this government,
these contentious are irrelevant to the
question of the legality of the methods
used by the German naval authorities
in sinking the vessel.
Seeks Rights of Humanity.
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 it. as the imperial German
government will no doubt be quick
to recognize and acknowledge, out of
the class of ordinary subjects of dip
lematic discussion or of international
| controversy. Whatever be the other
| facts regarding the Lusitania, the
principal fact is that a great steam
| er, primarily and chiefly a convey
ance for passengers, and carrying
more than a thousand souls who had
| no part or lot in the conduct of the
war, was torpedoed and sunk with
! out so much as challenge or warn
| ing, and that men, women and chill
| Gren wefe sent to their death in cir
cumstances unparalleled in modern
warfare. The fact that more than 100
| American citizens wene among those
who persisted, made it the duty of
the government of the United States
to speak of these things and once
more, with solemn emphasis, to call
the attention of the imperial German
government TO the grave responsible
ity which the government of the
{ lited States conceives that it has
incurred in this tragic occurrence,
and to the indisputable principle upon
which that responsibility rests The
government of the United States is
contendiug for something much great
er than mere rights of property or
| privileges of commerce. 1t is con-
tending for nothing less high and sa-
cred than the rights of humanity,
which every government honors it.
self In respecting and which no gov
eminent is justified in resigning on
behalf OF those under its care and
authority Only her actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop when or
dered to do so for the purpose of Wis
1t could have afforded the commander
of the submarine any justification for
so much as putting the lives of those
on board the ship in jeopardy. This
principle the government of the
United States understands the ex-
plicit instructions Issued on Augut 3,
1914, by the imperial German admir-
atty to its commanders at sea to have
recognized and embodied, as do the