The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-06-11

United states n 3 Featel Also stfA'g ~
passengers, and serving the eflect asl
an auxiliary TO the naval forees ot
Great Britain. Fortnnately they are
matters CONCERNING which the Govern,
fnent 81 the Emitted States IS n 8 i,ost
lion 10 give The tSnpeEiai Sserraan Boy.
3efnnefif ofgiciai informntton 9G the
facts alleged "a your exceHe
mote. the Government OF the United
States would have been bound axe
Official cogniIance In performing ttsl
irecognizedS duty as 9 q neutral power
ana in enforcing matt onal laws! III
was its dutyItoy see to IL that the Lusl:
.tania was not armed for offensive ae-
ton. that she was not serving as a
TRANSPORT. and that she did not carry
a cargo prohib ited by the statntes OF
the United Stat and that. Il in tact
she was naval vessel of Great Brit.
ain, she could not ship as aimerchantS
man, and it peri ed that duty ana
enforced Its sta utes with sscrupulous
vigilance through its regularly constl'
ituted officials: 1t is able. therefore, to
insure the imperial German govern
ment that It has been mtsinform ca:
"If the imperial German government
should deem itselfeto be In possession
OF existing evidence that the officials
of the Government of the United /
States did not perform these duties
with thoroughness. the Government OF
the United States sincerely hopes
that it. will submit that evidence for
consid Iteration.
Whatever may be the contentious
of the imperial German government re.
igarding the,carrying of abands OF
war on board the Lusitania, or regard:
ing the explosion OF that material by
a torpedo, 1t need only be said that IN
the view of this government these con.
tentions are irrelevant to the question
of the legality of the method used by
the German naval authorities in sink
ing the vessel.
5"But the sinking Of passenger ships
involve principles Of humanity which
throw into the background any special
circumstances or details that may he
sought to justify the act, principles
which It., as the imperial German goy,'I
eminent will no doubt instantly recogs
nize and acknowledge, out OF the
class of ordinary. subjects of diplomat
lic discussion or OF international con-
troyersy. Whatever be the other facts
regarding the Lusitania. the principal
fact is that a great steamer, primarily
and chiefly conveyor of passengers
and carrying more than a thousand
souls who had no part. or conduct III
the war was torpedoed and sunk with
out so much as challenge or q warn.
ing. and that men. women and chltdFen
were sent to their deaths IN circuM'
stancee unparalleled in modern war.
fare. These facts that more than Ivy
American citizens were among those
who persisted made it the duty OF thel
Government of the United states 70 |
speak OF these things, and once more, i
with solemn emphasis, to call the az
jtention of the imperial German (, g SS,s:'
eminent to the grave respons oillIy
STATES conceives that 1t has in the |
ira aic occurrence and to the indisput-l
able principle on which that response
nifty rests. The Government OF the
United States is contending for some.
thing much gerater than the mere
rights of property or privileges OF ar
mies. She is contending for nothing
less high and sacred than the rights 81
humanity, which every governmIee 81.
.honors itself in respecting, and wnicn
no government is justified in reslgnlng !
on behalf of those under Its care ana
authority. Only her actual resistance
IN cantllre or refusal to stop wheh OF:
dered to do SO for the purpose OF WISH
could have afforded the commander OF
the submarine any iustificat ton for SO 1
I1 ~, as97nutting a life OF those on
hoard the ship in jeopardy: This p 1rll1,
.c;nIe the Government OF the united
States understands is explicit instruc-
tionI issued on August 8, 1914, BY the \
imperial German admiralt y nlcn co lii;
n1anders at sea have ognized anu
embodied as do the naval codes OF az
other nations, and upon It every U l aSi
eier and seaman has Alright TO depend:
II is.upon this principle OF nuInashl.ts
az well as upon the law founded upon
this principle that the United states
must stand.
t"The Government OF the United
states is happy to observe that your
laTcellan note closes with the 3tnfor.
NATION. that the imperial German goXiil
eminent is willing now as before 80
accent the good otfices Of the United I
States IN an attempt to come to an
understanding with the Governmental OF
Great Britain by which the character
and condition Of the warGupon the sea
nav he changed. The Government 81
the United States will consider IT, 2.
privilege to render the service to its |
ifrineds and the world. It stands ready
at any time to convey to either goY.,t
eminent any information OF sugs st t1Sia5
the other may be willing to have u |
convey, and cordially invites the I'm:
,perial German government to ma 1I Kes
-S55i =
: