Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-01
The German Reply

1t ignores the main question at Is :
sue-the rights Of neutrals and hu-
manity. 1t is evasive; it is insin-
cere; il is an avoidance Of a straight
forward request; it is a reiteration
of meaningless claims Of a special
right Of nations at war to throw the
agreements Of civilized powers con-
corning the conduct of war, to the
winds.
In the first place the German an
swer asserts that which she knows
the Cunard company the American
government and the British govern
ment have denied-that the Lusitania
was an armed merchant ship. Wheth-
er she was armed or not is not the
matter for settlement at this time, for
Germany did not know and she had
no right under international law or
any moral consideration, to blow up
ship on the unconfirmed SUPPOSE
ton that it was armed or carried
make sure before such an act, even
if it had carried nothing but mer-
chandise and crew, instead Of many
hundreds of non combatants made up
largely of women and children.
Germany stands convicted before
the world today, Of temporizing with
an honest, friendly and strictly neu-
trail power, after an offense that JUS
titles any length to which the injured
nations might care to go. She has vi
olated international agreements fo-
the conduct of hostilities and in eff
feet admits that hundreds of limo.
cents were murdered on the chance
that they were on board an armed
ship.
Germany's reply convicts her Of
gambling with the friendship Of half
a dozen nations, rather than chance
the success Of holding up and verify
ing her belief that the Lusitania car
ried contraband of war. 1t was her
right to search and then sink the
steamer. first giving passengers and
crew opportunity to escape.
Germany has not measured American
feeling, including that great element
of German extraction-or she does not
care. If the answer to President Will
it is indefinite, playing for time, shut
fling In effect those who speak for a
great people on friendly terms with
the United States. seem to reveal a
total misconception Of the enormity of
the offense
If there were any virtue in the claim
that the Lusitania was torpedoed be-
cause she was thought to be carrying
ammunition to an enemy of Germany,
it is destroyed by later attempts to hold
up other merchant ships for search
She Is now resorting to glazing mis-
statements to cover her position in
diplomacy. 1t is blunder insulting to
neutral powers and one that will cost
her dear in world friendships and the
good will of civilization.
That is the substance of the status
between America and Germany today
The next move is ours. But, in consid-
Grafton Of the admirable ground taken
by President Wilson IN the note of May
10, the people Of this country may in
full confidence await the communica-
ton that is sure to issue promptly
from Washington 1t is no time for jim
goism or idle words. The people Of
America shrink from any thought Of
taking part in the war madness Of Eu-
rope. 1t is best to trust to the calm
craftsmanship of the man in the White
House, who has shown his capability
of meeting such a crisis.
The President today deserves and
should receive the whole hearted sup
port Of the American people. Their duty
to him commands confidence in his
earnest endeavor to solve the existing
difficulties.
Britain for Protection.
Joe" Chamberlain embraced tariff
protection and turned England topsy
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