The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-14
INJECTING US HALF Way"
Gcrmany's Offer Of German Ships for
Neutral Atlantic Trafic,

this country. which declares that Ger
many Is meeting us half way"
Omitting Belgium, Serbia and Monte
negro, there are eight maritime Powers
engaged in the present war. suppose
each OF them were likewise to meet
us half way When tho United states
has surrendered one-half it's rights to
each OF eight belligcrents. how many
rights will we nave left? OR sup
pose we count only two sides to tho
war and surrender one-half our rights
to each side. How many rights will we
have left?
But II we are TO surrender anything
TO Germany. We must he prepared to
surrender as much or more to her enc
m!cs, one belllgerent says: "Ameri-
cans will be allowed to sail In safety
only on vessels designated by me" We
submit TO this. Another belligerent
says Americans will he allowed TO
sail In safety only on vessels not desig-
mated by the enemy" We are as much
bound To submit to this demand as TO
| the other. So that the result is that
Americans will be forbidden to sail the
seas al all.
The question raised by the latest Ger
man note Is much higher and broader
than merely our rights or feelings. 1t
liz a question Of duty. our duty as a
| neutral lStlbn 1bIbllS us 10 tuIItilu'I
TO any belllgerent. Germany or any
other. any rights under internationa
law which we are not equally prepared
to surrender to all other belllserents.
This alone requires US to reject absO-
| lutely the German Governments latest
| preposterous proposals. X. II. /.
NEW YORK, July 10.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: In
the light of In a wholesale
murder case. might not an application
for acquittal In a lesser case he prop
crly made on the following grounds
/. Rosenthal was warned and went
upon the streets Of New York city In
defiance of the warning.
2. Rosenthal Was probably armed.
3. The safety Of the murderer was
deemed by hin to require the death oi
Rosenthal.
4 Rosenthal succumbed to bullets
much more readily than he was ex-
pccted to. PATRICK
BurrAto. July l?.
To THE EDITOR OF THE sr~-Str: In
what I am about 10 say I do not wish
TO be regarded as pro-German or as
sympathiziug with the so-callcd Ger
man cause" Indeed I ardeutly hope
tina, the ideas for which Germany IL
%cortcudinc will one day Ne cNt'pphted
from human consciousness. Just as the
idea of slavery no longer plaques the
world and just as the idea OF drunken
ness. IS no longer a world oheessloh'
Tn, war will Doe worth whaorC u costs
II, as The outcome. Mr. 0tpshurE ana
Mr.. uohenzollern and themselves mod
cst and uscsu, citizens Of a republic.
But before we make ourselves par
tics 10 the war and the avowed enemies
Of imperial Germany, would IT not ne
well to ask ourselves dispassionatelE
whether our grievance requires such q
course Are we conteuding for the sub
stance Of a right or the penuinbra or a
shadow What If the substance or our
demand? Is IT not that he citizens o'
the United states shall be permitted to
sail the seas without molestation OF
fear 81 attack by Germany' Germany
comedies that this Is our right and thai
she will 81 all times respect II pro
yided citizens OF the United states VII
take passage on their " ships or o'
strictly neutral ships. with the assur'
ance from our GOcrnmcut that THESE
ships contain neither reserNiSts' mum
tious. ordnance or goods contrarahn u
be delivered to Gcrmany's epemies and
further declares that II the tnitet
States has not an adequate number oil
merchant ships for his purpose she
GERMANY. VIII provide ~ the ships.
II is thus made clear that citizen'
OF the United States va sail the higf
seas without fear OF danger II they VII
take these precautions. bu', say We
citizens OF neutral countries have I'M
light to sail the high seas without AK
ing such precautions. They have tn
right, under International law, to taxi
passage In an cuemy's merchant shin
loaded with rescrvists. munitions ol
war and goods Contrahand intended 70
delivery to Gcrmany's .nemies ana tina
while Germany o. her part may nav
the right under the law to capture
shin SO frcighfcd. she must, out OF re
gard to the human freight, first d"man'
surrender and AFFORD amp" leisure 10
"A comI.laucc with he demand, and, II
any event. safeguard human life befor
c~apturiug or destroying the vessel.
As understand IL. Germany eve
admits his 10 be the rule under inter
rational law a. horetofur" laid dow.
by philosophers and moralists. who's
opinions constitute about al the sane
tion there Is to International law bu
tina just as all law grows out of Ell
goncy and necessity, 50 must all law u
modified from time to time to NEE
c~X!rcncy and necessity and change
conditions tina just as the saNages q
Germany and GaGl regarded as in
human the weapons Of the Roma
leglons 90 he Roman lcgions would /
turn regard as iuhuman the use q
guuppwltr and cannon by their On,
:. mics that submarines are not tnhuma
weapon OF aggression or defence, els
why does the United states herself no
onh invent these contrivances hI
: make them part of her lighting equip
mcnt that he effectiveness Of the sui
marine depends largely upon its ST
B cr-cy and su11enuoss Of attack tina
! for II To rise to the surface 10 shou
! n demand FOR surrender through
7 mrgaphonc would hc counting it's ow
destruction that it has the alternatiN
! Of sinking an encmN's merchant SHIT
without demand or warning. or permit
ting il to escape with all It's content
TO the enemy tina the demand OF tn
; United states, therefore, TX equiyaler
to saying tina Germany must abaudo
the use Of the submarine except agains
wArships or pirates This Is tel
mauy's contentiop, How true it is
am not expert enough to say, q
whether, II true. It states a case ,
+ original impression,
The number ana quality OF America
7 lives drowned with the Lusitania SCI
. "A thrill If horror through the Unite
!, States that tlamcd into anger. Wit
!, scarcely an exception every citize
shared this feeling Of outraged net
-, trality. But there were circumstanc,
+, attending the loss Of the Lusitanii
, such as slowing down for the first tin
In the danger zone for no better res
-, son given thar to 'savc coal" the wal
!, of conveys, the possible i~uadequacy ,
lifchoats and rats, %c, which eve