The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-07-17

all international law Long before tn
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.
Submarine War Forced.
con November Ia, 1914, the English
premier declared in the house of com
mons that it was one of England's
principal tasks to prevent food for the
German population from reaching Ger
many via neutral ports. Since March
l England has been taking from neu
trail 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 witt
the Beers, the German people is now
to be given the choice of perishing
from starvation with its women and
children or of relinquishing its indie
pendence.
while our enemies thus loudly and
openly proclaimed war without mercy
until our utter destruction, we were
conducting war in selfdefense for our
| national existence and for the sake OF
peace of an assured permanency. We
have been obliged to adopt subma
| rine warfare to meet the declared in
| tentions of our enemies and the meth
| cd of warfare adopted by them In
contravention of international law.
Fighting for Existence.
with all it's efforts in principle to
protect neutral life and property
from damage as much as possible. the
|
servedly in its memorandum of Feb
ruary that the interests of neutrals
might suffer from the submarine war,
fare. However, the American govern.
ment will also understand and appre.
ciate 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 i'm.
perial government to do all within Its
power to protect and save the lives of
German subjects. If the imperial
government were derelict in these. its
duties, it would be guilty before God
and history of the violation of those
principles of highest humanity which
are the foundation of every national
existence.
Case of Lusitania.
The case or the LuSltan1a shows
with horrible clearness to what jeor
ardizing of human lives the manner O!
! conducting war employed by our ad-
versaries leads. In the most direct
contradiction of international law, all
distinction between merchantmen and
war vessels have been obliterated by
i. the order to British merchantmen to
| arm themselves and to ram subma-
rines, and the promise of rewards
therefor, anl neutrals who use mer-
chantmen as travellers thereby have
: been exposed in an increasing degree
, to all the dangers of war.
IF the commander of the German
submarine which destroyed the Lusi.
tania had caused the crew and passen.
gers to take to the boats before fir.
: ing torpedo this would have meant
the sure destruction of his own yes.
!, sell After the experiences in sinking
: much smaller and less seaworthy yes
:, sells, it was to be expected that a
: mighty ship like the Lusitania would
y remain above water long enough even
= after the torpedong to permit passen
!, gers to enter the ships boats. CIR
cumstapces of very peculiar kind
= especially the presence on board Of
|
:. materials, defeated this expectation
, In addition it may be pointed out tina
. If the Lusitania had been spares
thousands of cases of munitions woult
= have been sent to Germany's enemies
. and thereby thousands OF German
mothers and children robbed of bread
. winners.
!. viii Not Hinder American Ships.
If "In the spirit of friendship where
of with the German nation has been In
bued towards the Union and its II
habitants since the earliest days OF 1t
q. existence, the imperial government
n. will always be ready to do all 1t ca
To during the present war also to proven
ID the jeopardizing of lives of America
Is citizens. The imperial government
rs therefore, repeats the assurances this
Is. American ships will not be hindere
.e- in the prosecution Of legitimate shil
ar ping and the lives of American eli
he zens in neutral vessels shall not Z
n placed in jeopardy.
ri "In order to exclude any unsor
as seen dangers to American passeng'
Of steamers, made possible in view of Il
or. conduct of maritime war by Germany
ay adversaries, German submarines wi
ID be instructed 10 permit the Tree III
he safe passage of such passenger steaI
er ers when made recognizable by sp
as. cial markings and notified a reaso
de able time in advance. The imperi
nd government, however. confident
rn. hopes that the American governme
will assume to guarantee that the
vessels have no contraband on boar
details of arrangement for the unhal
-, pered passage of these vessels to
- agreed upon by the naval authoriti
~ of both sides.
i'm. Can Increase Number Of Ships.
m "In order to furnish adequate fac
by ties for travel across the Atlantic
fife American citizens, the German &,
un- eminent submits for consideration
be- proposal to increase the number
Of available steamers by installing
not passenger service reasonable nu
the Der of neutral steamers under
lat American flag, the exact number to
ter agreed upon under the same condit
the as the above mentioned Amerit
steamers.
de- "The imperial government belle