Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-07-29

Bile and practicable to conduct such
submarine operations as have charac-
terized the activity of the Imperial
German navy within the so-called war
zone in substantial accord with &C
cepted practices of regulated warfare.
The Entire World Looking On.
The whole world has looked with
interest and increasing satisfaction
at the demonstration of that POSSIBLE
ity by German naval commanders. 1t
is manifestly possible, therefore, to
lift the whole practice of submarine
attack above the criticism which it
has aroused and remove the chief
causes of offense.
In view of the admission of illegal
ity made by the Imperial government
when it pleaded the right Of retalia-
ton in defense of its acts, and in view
Of the manifest possibility of con-
forming to the established rules of
naval warfare, the government of the
United States cannot believe that the
Imperial government will longer re-
frain from disavowing the wanton act
of it's naval commander in sinking the
Lusitania OF from offering ~reparation
for the American lives lost, SO far as
r~eparation can be made for a needless
destruction Of human life by an illegal
act.
The government of the United
States, while not Indifferent to the
friendly spirit in which it is made,
cannot accept the suggestion of the I'M
perial German government that Ger
tain vessels be designated and agreed
upon which shall be free on the sea
now illegally prescribed.
The very agreement would by impli-
cation, subject other vessels to illegal
attack and would be a curtailment
and therefore an abandonment Of the
principles for which this government
contends and which in times of calmer
! counsels every nation would concede,
as of course.
The government of the United
States and the Imperial German gov
eminent are contending for the same
great object, have long stood together
in urging the very principles upon
which the government Of the. United
States now so solemnly insists.
They are both contending for the
freedom of seas. The government Of
the United States will continue to con-
tend for that freedom from whatever
quarter violated, without compromise,
and at any cost.
1t invites the practical cooperation
of the Imperial German government
at this time when cooperation may
accomplish most and this great COM
mon object be most ~strikingly and
effectively achieved.
Scrupulous Observance of Rights.
The Imperial German government
expresses the hope that this object
may be in some measure achieved
even before the present war ends. It
can be.
The government of the United
States not only feels obliged to insist
upon it, by whomsoever violated or
ignored, in the protection Of its own
citizens, but is also deeply interested
in seeing 1t made practicable be-
tween the ~belligerents themselves,
and holds itself ready at any time to
act as the common friend who may
be privileged to suggest a way.
In the meantime, the very value
which this government sets upon the
long and unbroken friendship between
the people and government Of the
United States and the people and gov
eminent of the German nations impels
1t to press very solemnly upon the
Imperial German government the ne
cessity for a scrupulous observance of
neutral rights in this critical matter.
Friendship itself prompts it to say
to the Imperial German government
that repetition by the commanders Of
German naval vessels to acts in con
prevention of those rights must be
regarded by the government Of the
United States, when they affect Amer
lean citizens, rs deliberately I'M
friendly.
LANSING.