The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-11
Full Text of American Note

nizance in performing its recognized duty as neutral power and in en- forcing it's national laws. It was it's duty to see to 1t the Lusitania was not armed for offensive action. that she was not serving as transport, that she did not carry cargo prohibited by the statutes of the United States, and that if in fact she was a naval ves- se1 of Great Brifaiff She ynoufa mol fe- ceive clearance as merchantman, and it performed that duty and enforced it's statutes with scrupulous vigilance through it's regularly constituted otfi- cials. It is able therefore, to assure the imperial German government that it has been misinformed. If the im- perial German government should deem itself to be in possession of con vincing evidence that the officials of the government of the United States did not perform these duties with thoroughness the government of the United States sincerely hopes that 1t will submit that evidence for consi l. eration.
 "Whatever may be the contentious of the imperial German government re- garding the carriage of contraband of war on board the Lusitania, or regard ing the explosion of that material by the torpedo, it need not be said that in view of this government these con tentions are irrelevant to the question of the legality of the methods used hy the German naval authorities in sink ing the vessel.
 But the sinking of passenger ships involves principles of humanity which throw into the background any spe- cial circumstances of detail that may he thought to affect the cases, prin- ciples which lift it, al the imperial German government wilf no doubt be quick to recognize and acknowledge, out of the class or ordinary subjects of diplomatic discussion or of inter- national controversy. Whatever be the other facts regarding the Lusitania. the principal fact is that great steam CT. primarily 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 challenge or warning and that men, women and children were sent to their death in circumstances unparalleled in modern warfare. l, The fact that more than 100 American citizens were nmong those who perished, made it the duty of the government of the Uni ted States tO speak of these things and once more, with solemn ein- phasis, to gall the attention of Ire l. imperial GermAm SoSeThYeht " the grave responsibility which the goyernment Of the United States conceiyes that 1t has Incurred In 1 this tragic occurrence and tO the fudisputabIe principle upon which
 that responsibility rests. The gov- ernment of the United Stntes is coutending for something much
 greater than mere rights of pror- 1 erty or privileges of commerce. It l Ia contending for nothing less
 high and sacred than the rights of humanity, which every government 1 honOrs itself in respecting and l which no government Is Justified !, fin restening on behalf of those under it's care and authority. Only l the nctuaI resistnnce to capture or
 the refusal to stop when ordered to I dO 50 for the purpose of visit co"iu 1 have afforded the commander or l the submarine any Justification Tor
 90 much as putting the lives of
 those on board the ship in teop- | ardy. This principle the govern I ment of the United States under | stands the explicit instructions is- sued on August 3, 1914, by the im- i periaI German admiralty to it's
 comm mandern at sen to have rec Ognlxed and embodied, as do the 1 naval codes of all other nations. and upon 1t every traveller and 1 aeaman had . right to depend. It 1 h upon this principle of humanity ar well upon the law founded upon l this principle that the United SfNten must stand.