Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1915-06-18


government to the grave responsible
ity which the government Of the Unit
ed States conceives that it has in
Cured in this tragic occurrence, and
to the indisputable 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. 1t 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 it's care and authority.
Lusitania Attack UniustifIed.
only her actual resistance to cap
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
structions issued on August 8, 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 it
every traveller and seaman had right
to depend. 1t 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 WorGo.
The government of the Urxted
States is happy to observe that your
excellency's 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 it q privilege thus to serve
its friends and the world. It stands
ready at any time to convey to either
government any intimation or sugges-
ton the other may be willing to have
it convey and cordially invites the i'm
perial German government to make
use Of its services in this way at its
convenience. The whole world is
concerned in anything that may bring
about even a partial accommodation
~f
the terrors of the present distressing
conflict.
Vindcation of Justice Expected.
In the meantime whatever ar
rangement may happily be made be-
tween the parties to the war, and
whatever may in the opinion of the
imperial German government have
been the prOyocation or the cirCum-
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 vindi-
Gated in all cases where Americans
have been Wr0nged Or their rights IS
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 18th Of
May, and relies in these representa-
tions upon the principles Of humanity,
the universally recognized under
4 II.
ancient friendship of the German ma
ton.
American Rights Upheld
THE government of the United
States cannot admit that the pr0clama-
ton Of a war zone from which neu-
trail ships have been warned TO keep
away may be made to operate as in
any degree an abbreviation Of the
rights either of American shipmasters
or of American citizens bound on law,
full erTands as passengers Oh merchant
ships Of belligerent nationality. II
does not understand the imperial Ger
man government to question those
rights. It understands 1t, also, to ac-
cept, as established beyond question,
the principle that the lives Of non
combatants cannot lawfully Or right
fully be put in jeopardy by the cap
ture or destruction Of an unresstina
merchantmen, and to recognize the
obligation to take sufficient precaution
to ascertain whether suspected mer-
chairman is in fact Of t.JIligerent ma
tionality or is in fact ca~rying contra
band Of war under a neural flag The
government Of the United States there
fore deems it reasonable C. axpeCt that
the imperial German government will
adopt the measure necessary to put
these principles into practice in re.
spect OF the safeguarding eff Ameri-
| can lives and American ships, and
asks for assurances that this will be
done.
ROBERT lansing
Secretary of State ad Interim"
Flew u. S. Flag 40 HOURS.