The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-06-16

SUBMARINE ally JuStllCdllon lOI So 1lluCll
as putting the lives Of those on board
the ship in jeopardy. This the govern
ment of the United States under
stands the explicit instructions issued
on Aug. 3, 1914, by the imperial Ger
man admiralty to its commanders at
sea, to have recognized and embodied,
as do the naval codes of all other ma
tons, and upon it every traveller and
seaman had right to depend. 1t is
upon this principle OF humanity, as well
as upon the law founded upon this prin-
ciple that the United States must
stand.
The government of the United
States is happy to observe that your
excellency's note closes with the init
nation that the imperial German gov
eminent is willing. now as before, to
accept the good offices of the United
States in ain attempt to come to an un-
derstanding with the government 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. 1t stands ready at any time
to convey to either government any in
tirnation or suggestion the other may
be willing to have it convey and cor
daily invites the imperial German gov
eminent to make use Of its services in
this way at its convenience. The whole
world is concerned in anything that
may bring about even a partial accom-
mediation of interests or in any way
mitigate the terrors of the present dis
tressing conflict.
Cannot Recognize War Zone.
In the meantime, whatever arrange
ment may. happily be made between
the parties to the war, and whatever
may in the opinion OF the imperial Ger
man government have been the provo
cation or the circumstantial justihca
ton for the past acts of it's command
ers at sea, the government OF the Unit
E ed States confidently looks to see the
justice and humanity OF the govern
ment Of Germany indicated in all
cases where Americans have been
wronged or their rights as neutrals in
vaded.
The government of the United
States therefore very earnestly and
very solemnly renews the representa-
tions of its note transmitted to the i'm
perial German government on the 18th
OF May, and relies in these representa-
tions upon the principles OF humanity,
the universally recognized understand
ings OF international law and the an
cient friendship OF the German nation.
The government OF the United
States cannot admit that the proclama
ton of war zone from which neutral
ships have been warned to keep away
may be made to operate as in any de-
gree an abbreviation of the rights eth
er of American shipmasters or Of
American citizens bound on lawful err
rands as passengers on merchant ships
OF belligerent nationality. 1t does not
understand the imperial German gov
eminent to question those rights.
1T understands it, also, to accept al
so as established beyond question the
principle that the lives Of noncombat
ants cannot lawfully or rightfully be
put in jeopardy by the capture or de-
struction OF an unresisting merchant
man, and to recognize the obligation to
take sufficient precaution to ascertain
whether suspected merchantmen is
in fact OF belligerent nationality or is
in fact carrying contraband OF war un-
der neutral flag. The government OF
the United States therefore deems it
reasonable to expect that the imperial
German government will adopt the
measures necessary to put these princi-
pies into practice in respect of the safe
guarding Of American lives and Ameri-
can ships, and asks for assurances that
this will be done.
(Signed) Robert Lansing,
Secretary Of State ad interim