Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-05-22

rule that the lives Of non-com batants,
whether they be of neutral citizen
ship or citizens of one of the nations
at war cannot lawfully or rightfully
be put in jeopardy By the capture or
destruction Of an unaEmed merchant
man and recognize also, as all other
nations do. the obligation to take the
usual precaution OF visit and search
10 ascertain whether a suspected
merchantmen is in fact OF belligerent
nationality or is in fact carrying con
traband of war under neutral flag.
Basis of Objection.
1.-THE government of the United
States, therefore. desires to call the
attention Of the imperial German
government, with the utmost earnest
ness, to the fact that the objection to
their present method of attack
against the trade of their enemies
lies In the practical impossibility Of
employing submarines in the destruc-
ton of commerce without disregard
ing these rules of fairness, reason,
ern opinion regards as imperative.
1T is practically impossible for the
officers of submarine to visit mer-
chairman at sea and examine her pa
pers and cargo. 1t is practically i'm
possible for them to make a prize of
her; and II they cannot put a prize
crew on board of her, they cannot
sink her without leaving her crew
and all on board of her to the mercy
of the sea in her small boats. These
facts, it is understood, the imperial
German government frankly admit.
Warning Not Given.
I'VE are informed that TN the in
stances Of which we have spoken
time enough for even that poor meas
ure Of safety was not given and in at
least two OF the cases cited not so
much as a warning was received
Manifestly submarines cannot be US
ed against merchantmen, as the last
few weeks have shown, without an
inevitable violation OF many sacred
principles Of justice and humanity.
American citizens act within their
| indisputable rights in taking their
ships and in travelling wherever their
! legitimate business calls them upon
the high seas. and exercise those
rights in what should be the wen JUS
tilted confidence that their lives will
not be endangered by acts done in
clear violation of universally ac-
/ knowledged International obligations
and certainly in the confidence that
their own government will sustain
them in the exercise OF their rights.
crtleizes Embassy Act.
! There was recently published in
the newspapers Of the United States,
l regret to inform the imperial Ger
/ man government, a formal warning,
purporting to come from the imperial
German embassy at Washington. adj
/ dressed to the people of the United
/ States and stating. in effect, that any
citizen of the United States who ex-
/ ercised his right to travel upon the
seas would do so at his peril IL his
| journey should take him within the
zone of waters within which the inn
perial German navy was using sub
/ marines against the commerce of
/ Great Britain and France, notwith-
| standing the respectful but very ear
nest protest OF his government, the
government of the United States.
IL do not refer to this for the pur-
/ pose of calling the attention OF the
/ imperial German government at this
time to the surprising irregularity of
La communication from the imperial
/ German embassy at Washington adj
| dressed to the people of the United
/ States through the newspapers, but
only for the purpose of pointing out
that no warning that an unlawful
and tnhuman act will be committed
can possibly be accepted as an excuse
or palliation for that act. or as an
abatement OF the responsibility for
/ its commission.
Long acquainted as this govern
ment has been with the character of
Z itAN AuiPfl idl VEL AAAn kONttH diiG
with the high principles of equity by
which they have in the past been actu-
ated and guided, the government of
4 the United States cannot believe that
/ the commanders OF the vessels which
committed these acts OF lawlessness
1 did SO except under q misapprehension
Of the orders issued by the imperial
/ German naval authorities. II takes it
/ for granted that, at least within the
practical possibilities of every such
case, the commanders even of sub.
marines were expected TO do nothing
/ that would involve the lives of non
comhatants or the safety of neutral
ships. even at the cost OF failing of
their object Of capture or destruction.
Asks for Disavowal.
/ IT confidently expects, therefore.
! that the imperial German government
will disavow the acts of which the
{ government OF the United States com
plains. that they will make reparation
i SO far as ~eDaraf5Or is r,Nesil,i. Cos. -,