Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-11
Text Of American Note
to Germany on Lusita11ia
feet, as an auxiliary to the naval

feet, as an auxiliary TO the naval
forces Of Great Britain.
Fortunately these are matters
concerning which the government
OF the United States is in a posi-
ton to give the imperial German
government Official information.
OF the facts alleged in Your excel
lency's note. if true. the govern
ment of the United States would
have been bound to take official
cognizance in performing its recog-
nized duty as a neutral power
and in enforcing its national laws.
II was its duty to see to il that
the Lusitanta was not armed for
offensive action, that she was not
serving as a transport, that she did
not carry a cargo prohibited by the
statutes of the United States, and
that. if in fact she was a naval
vessel Of Great Britain she should
not receive clearance as a mer-
chairman: and il performed that
duIy and enforced its statutes
with vigilance thru its regularly
constituted officials. II is able,
therefore, to assure the imperial
German government that it has
been n!sinformed.
United States lnvestis ated.
IF the imperial German gov
eminent should deem itself to be
in possession Of convincing evil
dence that the officials of the gov
eminent Of the United States did
not perform these duties with
thorouEhness. the government OF
the United States sincerely hopes
that II will submit that evidence
for consideration.
Whatever may be the conten-
tons of the imperial German gov
eminent regarding the carriage Of
con1raba of war on board the
Lusitania or regarding the ex-
plosion 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
methods used by the German
naval authorities in sinking that
vessel.
But the sinking of passenger
ships involves principles OF hu-
manly which throw into the back
ground any special circumstance
OF detail that may be thought TO
affect the case, principles which
lift it. as the imperial government
will no doubt be quick to recognize
and acknowledge. out of the class
Of ordinary subjects of diplomatic
discussion or Of international con
troversy.
The Real Issue.
Whatever be the other facts re-
earding the Lusitania, it is true
that great steamer, primarily and
chiefly conveyance for passengers
and carrying more than thousand
souls who had no part or lot in the
conduct of the war, was torpedoed
and sunk without SO much as
challenge or warning, and that men.
women and children were sent to
their death In circumstances un-
parallel in modern warfare. The
fact that more than 100 American
citizens were among those who
persisted made II 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 gov
eminent to the grave responsibility
which the government of the United
States conceives that it has in
Cured In this tragic occurrence.
and to the indisputable principle
upon which that responsibility
rests.
The government OF the United
States is contending for something
much greater than the mere rights
of property or privileges of COM
merce. 1t is contending for nothing
less high and sacred than the
rights of humanity which every
government honors itself in re-
specting and which no government
is justified in resigning on behalf
of those under its care and author
ity.
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