The Washington herald., 1915-05-08
A Savage Crime at Sea.

When official confederation comes OF the evil
dence which the cables brought yesterday, Ger
many will stand indicted of carefully planned,
deliberate attempt carry out its threat to muir
der nearly two thousand noncombatants the
high seas, among them hundreds OF Americans.
men, women and children
If Germany failed TO bring death to all of her
hunted victims, it was due to unexampled bravery
and GOODNESS of the Lustanas and pas
sengers, to providentially favorable weather con-
ditions, TO superb seamanship and to the ade-
quacy and efficiency OF the forces that sped to
the great ships rescue. There is evidence to
show that the Germans gave these two thousand
innocent noncombatants warning or the smallest
chance their lives; the contrary the
meager accounts of their procedure at present
available indicate calculated effort to kill
every one of them. 1t stands out now
deliberate violation of the laws Of ma
tions and the laws OF humanity, hideous act
of savagery-surpasSing all previous atrocities OF
the war-that no one in America believed civil
LIKED people capable Of When the complete &C
counts are in, some mitigating circumstances may
be revealed, something that will make the Ger
mans on board the submarine that struck the
death blow appear less like creatures OF the
jungles. Let us hope so. But there can be moth
ing to it from the category OF crime
against the world
Meantime how stands GermanyS reckoning
with the United States. Later advices are that
many arc dead. There may be Americans among
them which will make the score harder to settle
This government has warned Germany that it will
hold her to strict accountability for the obstruction
OF American life and property, a warning that was
deliberately dsrcgardcd in the case OF the AmerI-
can Thrasher, and the ships Gushing and GulHight.
And now comes the murderouS attack on hundreds
OF Americans on board a merchant ship. The
German government had the effronery to pub
lsh in our American newspapers warning to
Americans about to sail from the port OF New
York that an attempt might be made upon their
lives, and this will no doubt be advanced by Ger
MANY in justification OF reputation OF any
responsibility to this country for the attack
on the Lusitania Mysterious warnings, verbal
and by telegraph, were given to passengers as
they were about to embark. and thus Germany.
in advance of the crime. built up what she prob
ably imagined would serve as defense. The
United States will be asked to recognize a warn
ing that foreign nation is about to attempt to
murder its citizens relieving that foreign ma
ton OF responsibility for the consequences OF
such an actual attempt. The warning only
be regarded insult; the murderous attack
on Americans is something far graver Germany
had every right to capture the Lusitana. She
was forbidden by every known law to kill the
two thousand noncon,batants board and this
she attempted to do. The fact that American
lives were ruthiessly placed in peril il not sacri
feed makes Germany responsible to the United
States.
There can be no more protests warnings
from this government; Germany has shown her
utter CONTEMPT for them. Her latest desperate act
is susceptible of the Interpretation that, driven
to desperation she is seeking to involve the United
States and end the whole tragedy by sef-destruc-
ton. At any rate there must be rcadustment of
our relations with Germany. Whether it rs pos
,iblc for them longer to continue friendly aud dip
omatic or whether they must inevitably become |
Openly hostilc-an attitude OF which the Ger
mans have already accused us-is for President
Wilson and his advisers to determine after calm |
1t is time Tor all patriotic Ameri- !
cans united, to show their trust and faith in the |
President and give him their whole support. If we
arc to be forced into war to crush mad criminal |
running amuck let it be