Americus times-recorder., 1915-06-11
The LuSitania Case.

| Your eXcellency'S note In discuss
ing the loss of American lives result
ing from the sinking of the steamship
Lusitania refers at some length to
certain information which the imperial
German government has received with
regard to the character and outfit of
that vessel, and your excellency ex-
presses the fear that this information
may not have been brought to the at
tention of the government of the Unit
ed States 1t is stated in. the note that
the Lusitania was undoubtedly equip
ped with masked guns, supplied with
trained gunners and carried special
ammunition, transporting troops from
Canada, carrying cargo not permit
ted under the laws of the United States
to vessel also carrying passengers,
and serving, in virtual effect, as an
auxiliary to the naval forces of Great
Rr; ain Fortunately, these are mat
ters concerning which the government
of the United States is in a position
to give the imperial German govern
ment official information.
United States Did Whole Duty.
"Of the facts alleged in your ex-
ce'lency's note, if true, the govern
ment of the United States would have
been bound to take official cognizance
in performing its recognized duty as
neutral power and in enforcing its
national laws.
"It was its duty to see to it that
the Lusitania was not armed for often
sive action; that she was not serving
as a transport; that she did not car
ry a cargo prohibited by the statutes
of the United States, and that, if in
fact, she was naval vessel of Great
Britain, she should not receive clear
ance as a merchantmen, and it per-
formed that duty and enforced its
statutes with scrupulous vigilance,
through its regularly constituted Off
ciais.
at is able, therefore, to assure the
imperial German government that it
has been misinformed.
"If the imperial German government
should deem itself to be in possession
of convincing evidence that the Off
cials of the government of the United
States did not perform these duties
with thoroughness, the government of
the United States sincerely hopes that
it will submit that evidence for con-
sideration.
Principles of Humanity Involved.
whatever may be the contentious
of the imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contraband
of war on board the Lusitania or re-
garding the explosion of that material
by the torpedo, it need only be said
that in the view of this government
! these contentious are irrelevant to the
question of methods used by the Ger
man naval authorities in sinking the
vessel.
But the sinking of passenger ships
involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any spec
ial circumstances of detail that may
! be thought to affect the cases, princi-
! Piles which lift it, as the imperial Ger
man government will no doubt be
quick to recognize and acknowledge,
/ out of the class of ordinary diplomatic
i discussion or international controver
sy. Whatever he the othar facts
! regarding the Lusitania, the principal
| fact is that a great steamer, primarily
and chiefly conveyance for passen-
gers and carrying more than a thous-
and souls who had no part or lot in
the conduct of the war, was torpedoed
and sunk without so much as a chal-
lenge or warning, and that men, wo.
men and children were sent to their
deaths in circumstances unparalleled
in modern warfare.
"The fact that more than 100 Amer
ican citizens were among those who
Derished made II the dutv Of tho oov