The Monticellonian., 1915-05-20


 has observed with growing concern. distress and amazement
 Recalling the humane and enlight- ened attitude hitherto assumed b. the imperial German government in matters of international right. and dom of the seas; having learned to recognize the German views and the German influence in the field of in ternational obligation as always en. gagged upon the side of justice and nu- manity; and having understood the in- structfons of the imperial German government to its naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humare c action prescribed by the naval codes of other nations, the government of the United States was loath to believe it cannot now bring itself to believe that these acts so absolutely con trary to the rules, the practices and the spirit of modern warfare, could have the conntenance or sanction of that great government It f,.els 1t to Op iNS uutS liitI tlOie lO tSS tIlt imperial German government concern ing them with the utmost frankness and in the earnest hope that it is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imperial German gov. ernment, which will correct the un- favorable impressions which have been created and vfndicate once more the position of that government with regard to the sacred freedom of the seas
 No War Zone Rights Over Americans
 The government of the United States has been apprised that the i'm perial German government consider ed themselves to be obliged by the extraordinary circumstances of the present war and the measures adopt ed by their adversaries in seeking to cut Germany off from all commerce, to adopt methods of retaliation which go much beyond the ordinary meth odS of warfare at sea in the proclama- tfon of war zone, from which they have warned neutral ships to keen away. This government has already taken occasion to inform the imperial German government that It cannot admit the adoption Of such measures or such warning of dangers to ope- rate as in any degree an abbrevia- tion of the rights of American ship masters or of American citizens bound on lawful errands as passen gers on merchant ships of belligerent nationality; and that it must hold the imperial German government to q strict accountability for any infringe ment of those rights, intention or in- cidental
 Tt does not understand the i'm. perial German government to question those rights It assumes on the con- trary that the imperial government accepts, as of course, the ruie that the lives of noncombatants, whether they be of neutral citizenship or citizons of one of the nations at war, cannot lawfully or rightfully be put Tn jeo- pardy by the capture or destruction of an unarmed merchantman and rec ognizes also, as all other natio' do the obligation to take the usual pre- caution to ascertain whether a sup posed merchantmen is in fact of belig- erent nationality or is in act carry ing contraband of war under neutral flag.
 Protest Against Submarine Warfare
 "The government Of the United States, therefore, desires to call the attention of the imperial German gov ernment, with the utmost earnestness, to the fact that the objection to their present method of attack agains the trade of their enemies lies in the practical impossibility of employing submarines in the destruction of com merce without desregarding those rules of fairness, reason, justice and humanity which all modern opinion regards as imperative. It Is practi. cally impossible for the officers of a submarine to visit merchantmen at sea and examine her papers and car go. It is practically impossible for them to make prize of her and fl they cannot put nrize crew on board Of her, they cannot sink her without leaving her crew and all Cn board of her to the mercy of the sea in her small boats. These racts, it is under stood. the imperial German govern. ment frankly admits. We arc inform ed that in the instances of which we have spoken time enough for even that poor measure of safety was not given and in at least two of the cases cited not so much as warning W IS received. Manifestly subma inee can not be used against merchantmen. as the last few weeks have shown with out an inevitable violation of many sacred principles of justice and hu- manity.
 Will Uphold Rights of Americans.
 American citizens act within their indisputable rights in taking their ships and fin travelling wherever their legitimate business calls them upon the high seas and exercise those right in what should be the well jus tIfied confidence that their lives will not be endangered by acts done in clear violation of universally aeknowl- edged international obligation and certainly in the confidence that their own government will sustain them in the exercise of their rights
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 his own forces the privilege of ran soming one of the enemy It was thus