The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-06-11

passengers ana serving IN ylrtual' 81
feet as an auxiliary to the nava
Forces Or Great Britain. Fortunately
these are matters concerning whicl
the government Of the United States
is In position to give the Imperia
German government official informa'
tion, OF the facts alleged In your ex
I.cellency's note. II is true, the gov
ernment OF the United States woult
| have been bound to take official cog
nizance in performing its recognized
duty as neutral and in enforcing It's
national laws. Il was Its duty to Nce
to II that the Lusitania was not arm
ed for offensive action. that she was
not serving as transport, that she
did not carry cargo prohibited os
the statutes Of the United States all
that, II In fact, she was naval vss-
sci OF Great Britain she should not
receive clearance as a merchantmen;
b y
and It performed that duty and en-
forced its statutes with scrnpu.ols
vigilance through Its regularly co1-
stituted officials It As able, there
fore, to assure the Imperial German
government that 1t has been misin-
formed II the Imperial government
should deem itself to be in possession
of convincing evidence that the Of
ficials of the government of the
United States did not perform these
duties with thoroughness the govern
ar ent OF the United States sincerely
hopes that 1t will submit that eyi-
.dence for consideration.
Principles Of Humanity
Are Involved in Case.
Whatever may be the contentious
OF the Imperial German government
regarding the carriage of contTaband
Of war on board the Lusitania or re-
garding the explosion of that BY the
torpedo. 1T need only be said that I'M
view OF this government these ,on
tentions are irrelevant to the quss-
tion OF the legality of the anethods
used BY the German naval authori-
ties.
But the sinking Of passenger ships
involves principles Of humanity which
throw into the background any spcc-
ial circumstances OF detail that may
be thought to affect the cases, pria-
ciples which lift 1t, as the Imperial
government will no doubt be quick
10 recognize and acknowledge, out
OF the class OF ordinary subjects of
diplomatic discussion or Of intetIa-
tional controversy. Whatever be the |
other facts regarding the Lusitar:a,
the principal fact Is that a great
steamer, primarily and chiefly, a
conveyance for passengers and car
rying mere than thousand SOILS
1ho had no part or lot In the coz
luct of the war was torpedoed and
Junk without SO much as a challenge
IT warming and that men, women
md children were sent to their death |
n circumstances unparalleled N Il
modern warfare. The fact that moe
han one hundred American citizens
we're among those who perished made
/ the duty OF the government OF the
United States to speak Of these
hings and once wore with solemn
nphasis to call the attention of The
imperial German government to the
rave responsibility which the gov
rnment OF the United States con-
elves that II has incurred In mis-
ragic occurrence, and to the indisr
utable principles upon which that
rests. The govern
lent Of the United States is contend
lg for something much greater than
lere rights of property or priyil-
ges of commerce. 1t Is contending
,r nothing less high and sacred than
le rights of humanity, which every
overnment honors itself in respect
lg and which no government is jus
fled In resigning on behalf OF those
nder its care and authority. Only
ere actual resistance to capture OF
,fusal to stop when ordered to DO
, for the purpose Of visit could have
'forded the commander OF the snh-j
arine any justification or so mnch
, putting the lives Of those on board
Ie ship in jeopardy. This principle
Ie government of the United States
the explicit Instructions
sued on August 3, 1914, BY the I'M
,rial German admiralty to its com
anders at sea to have recognizeu
ID embodied. as do the naval codes
-, .har nations and uDOn ii eV-