The Spectator., 1915-07-13
Must Mark Steamers and
 U. s. to Guarantee Cargo


 to regulate the law of maritime war in a manner guaranteeing the freedom Of the seas and will welcome it with gratitude and satisfaction if it can work hand in hand with the Ameri- can government on that occasion.
 Germany Not Guilty.
 eff in the present war the princi. pies which should be the ideals of the future have been traversed more and more, the longer its duration, the Ger. man government has no guilt therein. It is known to the American govern ment how Germany's adversaries, by completely paralyzing peaceable traf- fic between Germany and neutral coun- tries have aimed from the very begin ming, and with increasing lack of con sideration, at the destruction, not so much of the armed forces as the life of the German nation, repudiating in doing so all the rules of international law and disregarding all the rights of neutrals.
 "On November 3, 1914, England de clared the North sea a war area and and by the stoppage and capture of vessels, made passage extremely dan gerous and difficult for neutral ship ping, by that actually blockading neu- tra1 coasts and ports contrary to a'l international law. Long before the beginning of submarine warfare Eng land practically completely intercept ed legitimate neutral navigation to Germany also. Thus Germany was driven to a submarine war on trade. War on Food Traffic.
 "On November 14, 1914, the English premier declared in the House of Commons that 1t was one of England's principal tasks to prevent food for tle German population from reaching Ger many, via neutral ports. Since March l, England has been taking from neu- tral ships without further formality all merchandise proceeding to Ger many as well as all merchandise com ing from Germany, even when neutral property. Just as it was also with the Boers, the German people is now to be given the choice of perishing from starvation with it's women and chil- Gren and of relinquishing it's inGe- pendence.
 While our enemies thus loudly and openly proclaimed war without mercy until our utter destruction. we were conducting war in self-defense for our national existence and for the sake of peace of an assured permanen. cy. We have been obliged to adopt a submarine warfare to meet the de- clared intention of our enemies and methods of warfare adopted by them l in contravention of international, law.
 Knew EeutraIs Might Suffer. With all it's efforts in principle to protect neutral life and property from damage as much as possible, the Ger man government recognized unswery- ingly in its memorandum of February 1 that the interests of neutrals might suffer from the submarine warfare. i However, the American government also will understand and appreciate that in the fight for existence which has been forced upon Germany by it's adversaries and announced by them, it is the sacred duty of the imperial government to do all within its power to protect and save the lives ct l German If r;a government were derelict in these. it's duties, it would be guilty before God and history of the violation of the principles of highest humanity which are the foundation of every national existence.
 The case of the Lusitania shows with horrible clearness to what jeo- pardizing of human lives in the man. her of conducting war employed by our adversaries leads. In the most di. rect contradiction of international law. all distinctions between merchantmen and war vessels have been obliterated by the order to British merchantmen to arm themselves and to ram subma- rines and the promise of reward $ therefor, and neutrals who use mer- chantmen as travellers, thereby have been exposed to the increasing dan gers of war.
 Quick Sinking a Surprise.
 'If the commander of the German submarine which destroyed the Lusi- tania had caused the crew and pas sengers to take to the boats before fir. ing torpedo, this would have meant the sure destruction of his own vesse, After the experiences in sinking mucL smaller and less seaworthy vessels it was to be expected that a mighty ship like the Lusitania would remain above water long enough even after the tor. pedoing to permit passengers to enter the ships boats. Circumstances of a very peculiar kind. especially the pres. ence on board of large quantities of highly explosive materials defeated