Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17

/ those who persisted made 1t fine 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 conceiyex that 1t has in
Cured In this tragic occurrence, and
| to the indispntable principle upon
which that responsibility rests. The
| government OF the United States Is
| contending for something much great
er than mere rights Of property or
| privileges OF commerce. It is contend
ing for nothing less high and sacred
| than the rights OF humanity. which
every government honors itself In re-
| speeding and which no government is
justified In resigning on behalf OF those
under its care and authority.
Lusitania Attack unjustifed.
Only her actual resistance to cap
| ture or refusal To stop when ordered
to do SO for the purpose of visit could
| have afforded the commander OF the
| submarine any justification for so
much as putting the lives OF those on
board the ship in jeopardy. This prin-
ciple, the government OF the United
States understands, the explicit in
structlons issued on August 3, 1914,
by the Imperial German admiralty to
it's commanders at sea, to have recog-
nized and embodied, as do the naval
codes OF all other nations. and upon 1t
every traveller and seaman had a right
| to depend. IL Is upon this principle of
humanity as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle that the
| United States must stand.
| U. s. Would Serve World.
| 1.-THE government of the United
States IL happy to observe that your
| exceilencys note closes with the in
timation that the imperial German
government Is willing. now as before,
to accept the good Offices of the
| United States In an attempt to come
to an understanding with the govern
ment of Great Britain by which the
| character and conditions OF the war
| upon the sea may be changed. The
government of the United States would
| consider II privilege thus to serve
It's friends and the world Il stands
ready at any time to convey to either
government any intimation or sngges.
ton the other may be willing TO have
ii convey and cordially invites the i'm.
| nerial German government to make
use of it's services In this way at Its
| convenience. The whole world is
concerned In anything that may bring
about even partial accommodation
| of interests or In any way mitigate
| the terrors of the present distressing
| conflict.
Indication Of Justice Expected.
I'm the meantime, whatever ar.
/ rangement may happily be made he.
| tween the parties to the war, and
whatever may In the opinion or the
| imperial German government have
been the provocation or the eircum
stantial justification for the past acts
OF its commanders at sea. the govern
ment OF the United States confidently
looks TO see the justice and humanity
OF the government OF Germany vintii
Gated in all cases where Americans
have been wronged or their rights az
neutrals invaded.
| THE government of the United
States therefore earnestly and very
solemnly renews the representations
OF Its note transmitted to the imperial
| German government on the 10Th oil
May, and relies In these representa-
tions upon the principles OF humanity
the universally recognized under
standings OF international law and the
ancient friendship OF the German ma
ton.
/ American Rights Upheld.
The government OF the United
States cannot admit that the proclama
ton of war zone from which neu
trail ships have been warned to keef
away may be made to operate as in
any degree an abbreyiation Of the
rights either of American shipmasters
or OF American citizens bound on law
full errands as passengers on merchants
ships Of helligerent nationality. Il
does not understand the imperial Ger
man government to question those
rights II understands 1t. also, to &C
cept. as established beyond question
the principle that the lives of non
eombatants cannot lawfully or right
fully be put In Jeopardy by the cap
ture or destruction of an unresistins
merchantmen. and to recognize Tia,
obligation to take sufficient precautiol
to ascertain whether suspect I'd laer
chairman Is in fact Of helligerent ma
tionality or Is In fact carrying contra
band of war under neutral flag. Tn,
government OF the United States there
fore deems Ii reasonable to expect tina
the imperial German government viii
adopt tho measure necessary to pu
these principles into practice In re
! spect of the safeguarding Of Ameri
can lives and American ships. an,
asks for assurances that this win b,
, done. ..@
81 ROBERT LANSING.
Secretary of State adj interim"
-.
Flew Y. S, Flag 40 Hours.