The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-14
ALL EYES TURN
TOWARD Berlin
CONTINUED from Page |

eminent TO question those rights Ii
assumes on the other hand that the
Imperial German government accept
as OF course, the rule that the lives
of non -combatants, whether they be
neutral citizens or citizens of one of
the nations at war, cannot lawfully
or rightfully be put in jeopardy by
the capture or destruction of an un
armed merchantmen, and recognize
also as all other nations do, the OBJ
legation to take the usual precaution
OF visit and search to ascertain
whether suspected merchantmen
is in fact of belligerent nationality
or in fact carrying contra band of
war under neutral flag.
Submarine War Offensive
The government of the United
States, therefore, desires to call the
attention of the Imperial German
government, with the utmost earn
estness, to the fact that the objection
to their present method of attack
against the trade of their enemies
lies in the practical impossibility of
employing submarines in the de-
struction of commerce without re-
garding those rules of fairness, rea-
son, justice, and humanity, which
all modern opinion regards as i'm
peratiye. 1t is practically impossi j..
BILE for the officers of submarine
to visit merchantmen at sea and
examine her papers and cargo. 1t is
practically impossible for them to
make a prize of her; and, if they
cannot put prize crew on board of
her, they cannot sink her without
leaving her crew and all on board
of her to the mercy of the sea in
her small boats. These facts, it is
understood the Imperial German
government frankly admit We are
Informed that instances of which we
have spoken time enough for even
that poor measure of safety was not
| given and that in at least two of the
cases cited not SO much as warn
ing was given. Manifestly subma-
rines cannot be used against mer-
| chantmen as the past few weeks
| have shown, without an inevitable
violation of many sacred principles
of Justice and humanity.
Have Rights on High Seas
American citizens act within
their indisputable rights in taking
their ships and in travelling wher
ever their legitimate business calls
them upon the high seas, and exer-
else those rights in what should be
the we'll justified confidence that
their lives will not be endangered
by acts done in clear violation of the
universally acknowledged interna-
tional obligations and certainly in
the confidence that their own gov
| eminent will sustain them in the ex-
| ercise of their rights.
There was recently published in
the newspapers of the United States
| regret to inform the Imperial Ger
man government, formal warning
| purpOrting to come from the Imper-
ial German Embassy at Washington,
addressed to the people of the United
States. and stating, in effect, that
any citizen of the United States that
exercised his right of free travel on
the high seas, would do SO at his
own peril If his journey took him
within the zone of waters in which
the Imperial German navy was using
submarines against the commerce of
Great Britain and France, notwith.
standing the respectful but very
earnest protest of his government,
the government of the United States.
! do not refer to this for the purpose
OF calling to the attention of the
Imperial German government at this
time the surprising irregularity of
communication from the Imperial
German embassy at Washington ad
dressed to the people of the United
States through the newspapers, but
only for the purpose of pointing out
that no warning that an unlawful
and inhumane act will be commit
ted can possibly be accepted as an
excuse or explanation for that act
and an abatement of the RESPONSE
bility for its commission
Had Respect for German Government
so long acquainted has this gov
eminent been with the character of
the Imperial German government
and with the high principles cf
equity by which they have in the
past been actuated and guided, that
the government of the United States
cannot believe that the comm infie,s
of the vessels which committed these
acts of iawlessness did so e'.Eept IN
der a misrepresentation IL the orders
issued by the Imperial German MAJ
al authorities. 1t takes it for grant
ed that, at least within the prac-
tical possibilities of every such case,
the commanders even of submarines
were expected to do nothing that
would involve the lives of non-com
batants or the safety of neutral
ships. even at the cost of failing of
their object of capture or destruc-
ton. It confidently expects there
fore that the Imperial German Gov