The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-05-12
NO EXCUSE FOR GERMANY


Some of our own people, most of
them misinformed, try to excuse Ger
many for the death of Americans on
the Lusitania, by laying the blame on
England, or the victims themselves.
They say England had no right to
carry passengers on the ship laden
with ammunition and arms, and that
the Americans who took passage on
it had been fully warned by Germany
of their danger. Some are under the
impression that the Lusitania was
armed and ready to fire on any sub
marine that appeared.
~ doesn't seem to the Star that
the British government took the
proper precautions to guard the Lusi-
tania; otherwise its hands are clean.
The Lusitania doesn't belong to the
British government, but to private
corporation. Neither the British gov
eminent nor the Cunard company
compelled anybody to travel on the
ship.
Nobody has any right to consider
that the Americans on board had
been sufficiently warned. That they
were officially warned is denied by
our government. 1t is true that
warning advertisements had been
printed and anonymous warnings
sent, but the German government has
not yet assumed responsibility for
them. Secretary Bryan, asked about
this and whether any warning had
been given to Americans from the
state department, said: "I think !
had better go no farther than to say
that no warning was given" He
added that the German government
never called the departments atten-
ton to the warning advertisement.
If the German ambassador, instead
of printing advertisements, which
many people might not see, had in
formed the American state depart
ment the day before the Lusitania
sailed that the ship would be attack
ed, our government would not have
allowed any of our people to take
passage on it except in the positive
knowledge that they went at their
own risk. Less warning than this
cannot be considered sufficient by our
government.
The people who took passage or
the Lusitania knew of course they
ran some risk, but they did not be-
lieve that the German government
would order such cruel and coward
! ~ thing to be done.
There was no need for the act
from military standpoint. Wher
the ship was attacked, the day wa:
clear and the sea was calm. No Brit
ish warship was in sight. The Lusi
tania carried plenty of boats, ant
had she been held up and given time
| for the passengers and crew TO save
/ themselves, not a life need have beer
lost. Had she, after being held up
refused to stop, and tried to run, o.
ram the submarine, then it woul,
have been excusable to sink her. Blu
as it was, it was cold-blooded ant
wholesale murder, and it is impossi
BILE to look at it any other way.
The Lusitania carried no guns. Thi
is proven by our government, which
i inspected the ship before she left
Moreover, if she had guns, the,
/ would have been used. She could no
] have guns without some American
among the survivors having see
them.
i Neither was the Lusitania loade
J. down with ammunition. She carrie
some cases of small arm cartridges
not enough, in the opinion Of an
: American naval officer TO sacrific
the life of one woman or child for.
i There is no excuse for the act. Am
orleans may respect and forgive tn
individual German, but between U
/ and their government is blood
: chasm that will not be bridged j
Il fifty years. We can have no symps
t thy nor respect for a governmer
r that will do such things.