Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-24
u. S. WILL INSIST ON FREEDOM
OF SEAS AT ANY COST, SAYS
PRESIDENT TO GERMANY
No Compromise Will Be Considered
and Further Loss of Life by Sub
marine Methods of Slaughter Will
Be Regarded as Deliberately I'm
friendly"

I Of mere alteration Of circumstance. The
rights of neutrals in time of war are
| based upon principle, not upon expedi-
/ ency, and the principles are immutable.
| IL Is the duty and obligation Of belliger-
ents to find way to adapt the new
| circumstances to them.
HUMANE COURSE POSSIBLE
The events of the last two months have
clearly indicated that Il is possible and
| practicable to conduct such submarine
operations as have characterized the ac-
tlvity OF the Imperial German navy
within the socBlled war zone in substan-
tial accord with the accepted practices
Of regulated warfare. The whole world
has looked with interest and increasing
satisfaction at the demonstration of that
possibility by German naval command
ers. 1t is manfesty possible, therefore,
to lift the whole practice OF submarine
attack above the criticism which 1t has
aroused and remove the chief causes OF
offense.
In view of the admission of illegallty
made by the Imperial Government when
It pleaded the right OF retaliation and de-
fense of It's acts and in view of the mani
fest possibility of conforming to the
established rules of naval warfare, the
Government OF the United States cannot
believe that the Imperial Government
win longer refrain from disavowing the
wanton act of its naval commander in
sinking the Lusltania, or from offering
reparaton for the American lives lost,
far as reparation 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 Imperial German
Government that certain vessels be desig-
mated and agreed upon which shall be
free on the seas now illegally prescribed.
The very agreement would by implica-
tion 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.
FREEDOM OF SEA TO BE UPHELD.
The Government of the United States
and the Imperial German Government
are contending for the same great OBJ
ject, have long stood together in urging
the very principles upon which the Gov
ernment of the United States now so
solemnly insists. They are both con-
tending for the freedom of the seas. The
Government of the United States will
continue to contend for that freedom,
lTOIn Whatever QudIlSI Nlulhltu, "lAlOuN
and at any cost. 1t invites |
the practical cooperation of the Impe- |
rial German Government at this time |
when cooperation may accomplish most |
and this great common object be most /
strikingly and effectively achieved.
The Imperial German Government ex-
presses the hope that this object may be |
in some measure accomplished even be-
fore The present war ends. 1t can be-
The GOVernment of the limited States |
not only feels Obliged to insist upon IT,
by whomsoever violated or ignored, in |
the protection Of it's own citizens, but Is
also deeply interested in seeing It made
practicable between the belligerents
and holds itself ready at any
time to act as the common friend who
may be privileged to suggest way.
In the meantime, the very value which
this Government sets upon the long and
friendship between the people
and Government of the United States
and the people and Government OF the
German nation, impels It TO press very
5olemnly upon the Imperial German Gov
the necessity for a scrupulous
observance of neutral rights in this criti-
ral matter. Friendship itself prompts IL
10 say to the Imperial Government that
repetition by the commanders of Ger
man naval vessels or acts In contraven-
lion of these rights must be regarded
by the Government of the United States,
when they affect American citizens as
deliberately unfriendly. LANSING.