Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-06-17

eminent is justified IN resigning On
behalf Of those under its care and
authority Only her actual resistance
to capture or refusal to stop when or
dered TO do so for tie purpose of Wis
it could have afforded the commander
OF the submarine any justification for
so much as putting the lives of those
on board the ship in jeopardy This
principle the government Of the
United States understands the ex-
pIicit instructions issued on Augut 3.
1914, by the imperial German admir-
atty to its commanders at sea to have
recognized and embodied, as do the
naval codes Of au other nations,
and upon It every traveller and
seaman has a right TO depend It is
upon this principle of humanity as
well as upon the law founded upon
this principle that the United States
must stand.
The government Of the United
States is happy to observe that your
excellency's note closes with the in
timaticn that the imperial German
government is willing now, as before,
to accept the good Offices Of the Uni
ted States in an attempt to come to
an understanding with the govern
ment 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 a privilege thus %
serve its friends and the world. II
stands ready at any time to convey
to either government any intimation
or suggestion the other may be will
Ing to have it convey and cordially
invites the imperial German govern
ment to make use Of its service in
this way at its convenience The
whole world is concerned in anything
that may bring about even partial
accommodation of interests or in any
way mitigate the terrors Of the pres
ent distressing conflict.
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
German government have been the
provocation or the circumstantial
justification for the past acts of its
commanders at sea, the government
of the United States confidently looks
to see the justice and humanity of the
government of Germany indicated in
all cases where Americans have been
Wronged or their rights as neutrals
invaded.
THE government of the United
States, therefore, very earnestly and
very solemnly renews the presenta-
tons of it's note transmitted to the
imperial German government on the
18th of May, and relies in these rep
reservations upon the principles Of
humanity, the universally recognized
understandings Of international law,
and the ancient friendship of the
German nation.
Insists on Rights of Americans.
THE government Of the United
States cannot admit that the proc
lamation of a war zone from which
neutral ships have been warned to
hSSp away may NC L1CiuS " OpCl dIC
as in any degreee an abbreviation Of
the rights either of American ship
masters or of American citizens
bound on lawful errands as passen-
gers on merchant ships of belligerent
nationality. It does not understand
the imperial German government to
question those rights. 1t understands
it, also, to accept as established be-
yond question the principle that the
lives of noncombatants cannot law
fully or rightfully be put in jeopardy
by the capture or destruction of an
unresisttng merchantmen, and to rec
ognize the obligation to take sufficient
precautions to ascertain whether a
suspected merchantmen is in fact of
belligerent nationality or is in fact
carrying contraband of war under a
neutral flag. The government of the
United States therefore deems it rea-
sonable to expect that the imperial
German government will s1opt the
measures necessary to put Inese prin-
ciples into practice in respect of the
safeguarding OF American lives and
American ships, and asks for assur-
ances that this will be done.
(Signed) ROBERT LANSING,
Secretary of State, ad Interim"