The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-03
THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS.
Are All British Ships TO BE Consid-
cred Armed?

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Str' III
the great war 10Y waging i am a neu-
trail in the broad sense that 1t would
be abhorrent to me to see any OF the
embatted nations crushed or annthi-
lated. desire with all my heart that
during the progress of the fray, and at
It's termination, equal and exact justice
shall be accorded to all. The attitude
OF the majority of our newspapers Is,
In my judgment. most prejudiced and
unjustihed. They refuse to recognize
any conditions that do not make Tor
England and her allies. Any defence OF
Germany is regarded by many Of them
as an expression OF d~isloyalty to their
own country. But until we are actually
at war, with Germany such an attitude
Is manifestly opposed to common sense.
We are not yet at war with her, and she
Is entitled to all the respect and con-
sideration so freely accorded to her
enemies.
The supreme question now being de-
liberated is with regard to the rights
of neutrals upon the sea and the conduct
Of Gtrman submarines which may en-
danger that right.
1t has been repeatedly announced in
Parliament and through the London
press that the British Government had
advised and authorized all merchant
vessels SAILING uflutT INC "a W
be fully armed for attack or defence,
and had offered, and at least in one In
stance has paid. a huge pecuniary re-
ward for the sinking by any OF these
Of a German subuarine.
Therefore II IL my conviction that
by every rule of reason and or law APP
plicable thereto the German submarine
commander has the absolute right to
assume that every British ship he en-
counters is thus armed and equipped.
and hence Is no more entitled to any
preliminary notice. such as shots across
her bow. or otherwise, before being sub
jected to torpedo or than are
the enemy's battleships, armored crui-
sers or torpedo boats.
Any American sailing on such a mer-
chant vessel forfeits the protection or
his flag thereby. He can no longer be
regarded as a neutral, n must take
the consequence of his criminal negli-
gence or cooperation. That the British
Government can be permitted to use
such an American citizen or citizens as
buffers to protect its armed merchant
| men from attack is too preposterous for
consideration. and the preparation of
such IN outrage is as great a blow TO
humanity as any that has been urged
against the acts of Germany.
Whether or not. as has been alleged,
but which ] do not believe, Great Brit
ain actually connived at the loss OF
American lives upon the Lusttania, she
nevertheless did so constructively by
urging through her representative. the
Cunard Line. that Americans should un-
hesitatingly take passage on the Lusi-
tania, regardless of the published warn
ing given 10 them by the German EN-
bassy at Washington. She furthermore
gave them the most solemn and en-
phatic assurances OF their safety, and
actually ridiculed the very suggestion OF
danger. although IL was well known to
! the ships officers that she had on board
an enormous cargo OF ammunition, be-
sides being herself within the category
OF those vessels which England had adj
vised and authorized to carry arms for
attack or defence.
In sinking this ship, whatever view
may be taken upon ethical grounds,
Gernany's action vas justihable as a
legitimate act of war. and upon Eng
land alone rests the responsibility for
the loss OF American lives.
A P~H1LApELrHIA LAWYER.
NORTHEAST HARBoR, Me, July 81.