Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-06-18

the United States. 1t is stated in the
note that the Lusitanai was undoubted-
ly equipped with masked guns supplied
with trained gunners and special am
munition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying a cargo not permitted
under the laws of the United States
to a vessel also carrying passengers
and serving, in virtual effect, as an
auxiliary to the naval force of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are matters
concerning which the government of
the United States is in a position to
give the Imperial German government
official information.
Lusitania Declared unarmed.
o the facts alleged in your excel
lency's note, if true. the government
OF the United States would have been
bound to take official cognizance in
performing it's recognized duty as a
neutral power and in enforcing it's ma
tional laws. 1t was it's duty TO see
to it that the Lusitania was not armed
for offensive action, hat she was not
serving as a transport, that she did not
carry a cargo prohibited by the sta
tutes of the United States and that, if
In fact she was a naval vessel of Great
Britain, she should not receive clear
ance as a merchantmen; and it per
formed that duty and enforced its
statutes with scrupulous vigilance
through it's regularly constituted Off
Gals. 1t is able, therefore, to assure
the Imperial German government that
it has been misinformed. IL the I'm,
perial German government should
deem itself to be in possession of con-
vincing evidence that the officials of
the government of the United States
did not perform these duties with thor
oughness the government of the Unit
ed States sincerely hopes that it will
submit that evidence for consideration
German Contentious Irrelevant.
Whatever may be the contentious
of the Imperial German government re-
garding the carriage of contraband of
war on board the Lusitania or regard
ing the explosion of that material by
the torpedo, 1t reed only be said that
in the view of this government these
contentious are irrelevant to the ques-
ton of legality of the methods used
by the German naval authorities in
sinking the vessel.
But the sinking of the 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 Impe.
1 riol Chairman onuorn ~ Want will NO do,,hx
be quick to recognize and acknowl-
edge, out of the class of ordinary sub
jects of diplomatic discussion or of in
ternational controversy. Whatever be
the other facts regarding the Lusi-
tania, the principal fact is that a great
steamer, primarily and chiefly a con-
veyance for passengers and CARRYING
more than a thousand souls who had
no part or lot in the conduct of the
so much as a challenge or a warning,
and that men, ONE and children
were sent to their death in circum-
stances unparalleled in modern war
fare.
With Solemn Emphasis.
THE fact that more than one hun.
dred American citizens were 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 Unit
ed States conceives that it has in.
CURED in this tragic occurrence, and
to the indisputable principle upon
which that responsibility rests. The
government of the United States is
contending for something much great
er than mere rights of property OF
privileges OF commerce. 1t is contend
ing for nothing less high and sacred