The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-16
JUDGE r. E. HILL
Submits Some Thoughts On The
Question Of Germany Right to
Sink the Lusitania.


loss of life of innocent non-combat-
ants of America at the sinking of
the Lusitania, I cannot but think
that the United States authorities
we're to blame for not warning them
of the danger incident to sailing un-
der the flag of a belligerent nation,
and especially. in taking passage on
the Inflated Lusitania after being
warned not to do so oy the German
authorities.
A person taking passage on a ship
belonging to a belligerent nation en-
gagged in war, it seems to me, takes
the same chances that one would
take who would go into the rifle pits
or other field works of m of the bel
ligerent nations, through curiosity,
and if hurt while there, should blame
no n but himself. AS has been
truthfully said "a stray bullet is no
~respector of persons or nationality"
and the same is true Of submarines.
There should be un international
law prohibiting the carrying of pas
sengers and war material and other
contraband goods for the use of a
b%eligerent nation in the same YES
sci, then it might be reasonably ex-
pected that the other warning powers
would avoid destroying passenger
ships; but as long as English passen-
ger ships carry war material to des-
troy German lives, it is not right or
reasonable for the United States to
insist upon Germany not destroying
them without first observing certain
preliminaries which would subvert
the whole purpose Of the submarine.
Therefore President Wilson's pro-
test will not be recognized by Ger
many. She can't afford to do so, it
would give England too much the
advantage.
England with her numerous cruis-
ers and great battle ships has effect
ually blockaded the German ports to
that no merchant vessel, no matter
whether it belongs 20 a neutral ma
tions or whether it be laden with
non-contraband articles, can enter
any of these ports, and the German
navy being hemmed up in the North
Sea, the only reliance the Germans
have to meet such a condition is up
on their submarines.
The United States, in its note of
protest to Germany say in effect:
''Its all right and proper for you to
destroy the merchant vessels of the
allies sailing under G. neutral flag,
but before doing so you must first
stop them. send a searching party
aboard and if found that they are in
the service of the enemy or have
contraband aboard, you may destroy
them, provided you give the crews
and any passengers who may be
aboard ample time to get off. AS
has been said by the Germans, if
this were undertaken to be done, the
chances would be ten to one that
Their submarines would be blown up
either by the merchant vessel halted,
many of which have mounted guns
aboard, or by some of the enemies
submarine ~destroye1s.
Since reading the interview of
Ex-senator Albert j. Beveridge with
Bernard Shaw, the distinguished En-
glish novelist, recenry published in
Golfers Weekly, I anl more than
ever impressed with the fact that the
American people are laboring under
a very great mistake as to the causes
leading up to the great war now be-
ing waged among the leading Euro
pean countries, in Guiding Russia,
Turkey, and Japan. From what Mr..
Shaw says this war has been newt
able for years.
Primarily it was to have been a
wal between Germany and Austria
Hungary on n side against France
and Russia on the other. When this
was seen by England, she, being jeal-
Jus of the wonderful progress which
Germany was making commercially
and from every other standpoint, en-
faral into n conTat 0rrnopnont