Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1915-06-17
auxiliary to the naval forces Of Great

auxiliary to the naval forces Of Great
Britain. Fortunately these are mat
ters concerning which the Government
OF the United States Is in position
TO give the imperial German govern
ment official information. OF the
facts alleged In Your Excellency's
note, II true, the Government Of the
United States would have been bound
to take official cognizancc in per-
forming It's recognized duty as neu-
tral power and In enforcing Its Ma
tional laws.
1T was It's duty TO see to II that
tho Lusitania was not armed for Of
fensive action, that she was not serv-
Ing as transport, that she did not
carry n cargo prohibited by the
statutes Of the United States, and
that II, In fact, she was naval ves-
sci Of Great Britain she should not
receive clearance as merchantmen,
and 1t performed that duty and en-
forced It's statutes with scrupulous
vigilance through It's regularly con-
stituted officials. IL Is able, there
fore, to assure the imperial German
government that 1t has been misin-
formed.
"If the imperial German govern
ment should deem itself TO be in pos
session Of convincing evidence that the
officials Of the Government Of the
United States did not perform these
duties with thoroughness, the Gov
ernment Of the United States sin
cerely hopes that it will submit that
evidence for consideration.
Contentious Held Irrelevant.
"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 torpedo, 1t need only be said that,
in the view of this Government, the
contentious are irrelevant to the ques-
ton Of the legality of the methods
used by the German naval authori-
ties in sinking that vessel.
"But the sinking Of passenger ships
involves principles of humanity which
throw into the background any special
circumstances Of detail that may be
thought to affect the cases--principles
which lift 1t, as the imperial govern
ment will no doubt be quick to recog-
nize and acknowledge, out Of the class
of ordinary subjects Of diplomatic dis
cussion or international controversy.
Whatever be the facts regarding the
Lusitania, the principal fact Is that a
great steamer, primarily and chiefly
conveyance for passengers and car
rying more than 1000 souls who had
no part or lot in the conduct of the
war, was torpedoed and sunk without
so much as challenge or a warning,
and that men, women and children
we're sent to their death in circum-
stances unparalleled in modern war
fare.
Duty Owed to Humanity.
"The fact that more than 100 Amer
lean citizens were among those who
perished made it the duty of the Gov
ernment Of the United States to speak
of these things, and once more, with
solemn emphasis, to call the atten-
ton of the imperial German govern
ment to the grave responsibility which
the Government of the United States
conceives that 1t has incurred in this
tragic occurrence and to the indis-
putable principle upon which that re-
sponsibility rests. The Government
Of the United States is contending for
something much greater than mere
rights of property or privileges of
commerce. It is contending for moth
ing less high and sacred than the
rights of humanity, which every gov
ernment honors itself in respecting
and which no government is justified
in resigning on behalf of those under
its 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 af-
forded the commander of the sub
marine any justification for so much
as putting the lives of those on board
the ship in jeopardy. This principle
the Government Of the United States
understands the explicit instructions
issued on August 8, 1914, by the i'm
perial German Admiralty to its COM
manders at sea to have recognized and
embodied, as do the naval codes of all
other nations, and upon it every
traveller and seaman had a right to
depend. It is upon this principle of
humanity, as well as upon the law
founded upon this principle, that the
United States must stand.
"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 privilege thus to
serve its friends and the world. II
stands ready at any time to convey
to either government any intimation
or suggestion the other may be will
ing to have it convey, and cordially
invites the imperial German govern.
ment to make use Of its services ir