The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-11
Germany Must Stop Murder
Her Crime Is Unparalleled


! statutes with scrupuIous vigilance
through its regularly constituted Of
ficials.
Berlin Misinformed.
sit is able, therefore, to assure the
imperial German government that 1T
has been misinformed. If the inn
perial German government should
deem itself to be in possession of con-
vincing evidence that the officers of
the United States did not. perform
these duties with thoroughness, the
government of the United States sin
cerely hopes that it will submit that
evidence for consideration.
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 the legality of the meth
DDS used by the German naval au-
thorities in sinking that vessel.
Offense Is Unparalleled.
But the sinking of passenger ships
involves principles of humanity which
throw into, the background any spe-
cial circumstances of detail that may
ciples which lift it, as the imperial
government will no doubt be quick to
recognize and acknowledge, out of the
class of ordinary subjects of diplo-
matte discussion or of international
controversy.
Whatever be the other facts re-
garding the Lusitania, the principal
fact is that a great steamer, primarily
and chiefly a conveyance for paSSen-
gers, and carrying more than a thou
sand souls who had no part or lot in
the conduct of the war, was torpedoed
and sunk without SO much as Il chal-
lenge or a warning, and that men,
women and children were sent to
their death in circumstances I'M
paralleled in modern warfare.
1.-The fact that more than one hum
dred American citizens We're among
those who persisted made it the duty
of the government of the United
States to speak of these things, and
once more with solemn emphasis, to
call the attention of the imperial Ger
man government to the grave respon-
sibility which the government of the
United States conceives that it has in
Cured in this tragic occurrence, and
to the indisputable principles upon
which that responsibility rests.
Greater Than Property Rights.
THE government eff the United
States is contending for something
much greater than mere rights of
property or privileges of commerce.
1t is contending for nothing less high
and sacred than the rights of human
ity, which every government hOnOrS
itself in respecting and which no gov
eminent is justified reSigning on be-
half of those under it's care and
authority. Only her actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop when
ordered to do SO for the purpose of
visit, could have afforded the COM
mander of the submarine any justifi-
cation for so much as putting the lives
of those on board the ship in jeopardy
This principle the government of the
tod Not u
instructions on August 3, 1914, by the
imperial German admiralty to its
commanders at sea to have recognized
and embodies. as do the naval codes of
all other nations, and upon it every
traveller and seaman had a right to
depend. 1t is upon this principle of
humanity as we'll as upon the law
founded upon this principle, that the
United States must stand.
Privilege to Serve the World.
THE government of the United
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 a privilege thus to serve
its friends and the world. 1t stands
ready at any time to convey to either
government any intimation or sugges-
ton the other may have it willing to
convey, and cordially invites the i'm
perial government to make use of it's
services in this way at its convenience.
The whole world is concerned in any
thing that may bring about even a
partial accommodation of interests or
in any way mitigate the terrors of the
present distressing conflict.
To See Justice indicated.
In the meantime, whatever ar
rangements 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 provocation or the circum-
Stantial justification for the past acts
ment of the United States confidently
looks to see the justice and humanity
of the government of Germany vim
dicated in all cases where Americans
have been wronged or their rights as
neutralS invaded.
THE government of the United
States, therefore, very earnestly and
very solemnly renews the presenta-
lions of its note transmitted to the
imperial German government the 18th
of May, and relies in these presenta-
tons upon the principles of human
ity, the universally recognized under
standings of international law and the
ancient friendship of the German
nation.
Right i'm War Zone.
1.-THE government of the United /
States cannot admit that the procla- |
nation of the war zone from which
neutral ships have been warned to
keep away may be made to operate
as in any degree an abbreviation of
the rights of American ship masters
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