The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-06-11

chairman: and Il performed that duty
and enforced ito statutes with scrupu-
Ions vigilance through its regularly
constituted officials.
ut 10 able. therefore, to assure the
imperial German government that It
has been misinformed. II the imperial
German government should deem It.
self to be in possession OF convincing
evidence that the officials Of the gov
eminent OF the United States did not
perform these duties with thorough
ness. the government Of the United
States sincerely hopes that II will sub
NIT that evidence for consideration.
Whatever may BE- the contentious
OF the imperial government regarding
the carriage Of contrsbands Of war on
board the Lusitania or regarding the
explosion Of that material by the tor
pedo. 1t need only be said that In
view Of this government these con-
tentions are prevalent to the question
Of the legality Of the methods used
by the German naval authorities in
sinking the vessel.
Details Thrown In Background.
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, AZ the imperial German
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 regarding the Lusitania. the
principal fact il that a great steamer,
priamrily and chiefly a conveyance for
passengers. and carrying more than a
thousand souls who had no part or
lot in the conduct Of the war, was
torpedoed and sunk without SO much
as a challenge or a warning, and that
men, women and children were sent
to their death in circumstances unpar-
alleled in modern warfare.
The fact that more than one hun
dred American citizens were among
those who perished. made 1t the duty
Of the government of the United
States to speak Of these things and
once more, with solemn emphasis, to
man government to the grave respon.
ability which the government of the
United States conceives that it has
incurred in thi stragic occurrence. and
to the indisputable principles upon
which that responsibility rests.
1.-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 nothing less high
and sacred than the rights Of human
ity. which every government honort
itself in respecting and which no gov
eminent is justified in resigning on
behalf Of those under it's care and
authority. Only its actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop when or
dered to do so for the purpose of visit
could have afforded the commander OF
the submarine any justification for sc
much as putting the lives Of those or
board the ship in jeopardy.
This principle the government OF
the United States understands the ex
plicit instructions issued on August 3
1914, by the imperial German admir-
atty to u sepnmanders at sea to have
recognized and embodied, as do the
naval codes of all other nations, and
upon It every traveller and seaman had
right to depend. It is upon this
principle of humanity, as we'll as upon
the law founded upon this principle
that the United States must stand.
Tender Good offices.
"The government of the United
states is happy to observe that your
excellency's hote closes with the init
nation that the imperial German gov