The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-07-10

Is the sacred duty Of the imperial gov.
ernment To do all within It's power to
protect and save the lives " German
subjects II th, imperial government
were derelict IN these duties. II would
be guilty befU-e GOG anu history Of th.
violation OF thO"e principles OF highest
humanity which Hre the foundation of
every national existence.
'Ihe case " the lusitnnla shows
WIN horrible Cleurhess to what icon.
ardlzing " human lives the manner ur
conducting war employed by our adyer.
surieS leads. I'm the most direct contra.
diction of International law. nil dIstinc.
lions between merchantmen aud war
vessels nave been obliterutrd by the or
dtr 10 British merchantmen TO arm
themselves and To ram submarines apd
promise ~ rewards therefore. and npu.
trails who nSe merchantmen ns traypl.
ers thereby have been pXuo,pd lp mn
increasing degree to all the dungerS Of
war
II the commander " the German
submarine which destroyed the Iusitn-
MA had caused the crew aud passep.
gers 10 take 10 the boats before firing
! Il torpedo this would have meant the
sure destruction OF his own vessel Az
Ter the experience IN sinking much
smaller and less senwOrthy vessels il
was To be- expected that mighty ship
| Ike the IusitaniH would remain above
water long enough, even after the tor
pedoing, " permit passengers to enter
the ships boats Circumstances NJ IA
very peculiar kind, especially the pres
ence on board OF large quantities oi
hlghll explosive materials (wOrd omit
ted, possibly "disslpatcd"D this expec.
tntion. In that It may he pointed out
that had the Lusltanin been spared
/ thousands " cases " munitions would
have been sent 10 Germauys enemies
aud thereby thousands OF German
mothers aud children robbed Of bread
| winners
In the spirit OF friendship where
with the German nation has been Inn
hned towards the union aud its inhab.
itants since the earliest days " It's ex.
lstence, the imperial government al
ways Will he ready 10 do all II can dur
Ing the present war also to prevent the
Jeopnrdlzing OF lives OF American 60.
zons. The imperial government. there.
fore repeats the assurnnccs that Am'-
lean ships will not be- hindprpd I'm the
| prosecution ~ Legitimate shipping and
the lives NJ American citizens In neu.
trHl vessels shall not be placed In Jeup-
Hrdy
In order tu exclude any unforeseen
/ dangers TO American passenger steam
rrs. made possible In view uf the con.
duct of maritime war by Germany =
ndyersnrles, Germany's submarines
VIII be Instructed TO permit the free
ana sRfe passage NJ such passenger
steamers when made recognizable by
special markings aud notified Il reason
able time IN advance. The Imperial
government, however. confidently hopes
that the American government will M.
sumo to guarantee that these vessels
have no Contrahand on honrd details Of
arrangement for the unhampcred pns.
sncp ~ these vessels tO he agreed upou
! by the naval authorities " both sides
In order to furnish adequate fncll
tiles for travel across the Atlantic for
American citizens the German govern
mrnt submits Tor consideration a pro.
posal to Increase the number " avail.
able steamers by Installing under the
American flag, the exnct number To be-
agreed upon under the same condition
as the above mentioned American
steamers
'The Imperial government believes II
can assume that In this manner ade
QuHte facilities for travel across the
Atlantic ocean can he afforded Ameri
can citizens There would, therefore
appear to be no compelling necessity
Tor American citizens to travel to Eu
rope I'm time Of war on ships carrying
M enemy flag In particular. the I'm
perial government Is unable to admit
that American citizens can protect al
enemy ship through the mere fact Of
their presence on board.
Germany merely followed England.
example when she declared part Of th,
high sea an area Of war. CONSEQUENT
! ly accidents suffered hy neutrals on
enemy ships In this area " war cannot
well he judged differently from accI
dents to which neutrals are at nll time,
exposed at the seat " war OIL lnnr
when they betake themselves into dan