Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-14
carrying contraband Of war under |

a Calls SUoFnaftno 00aron tme0oe4oIo.
1.-THE government. Of the United
States, therefore, desires to call the
attention Of the imperial German gov
eminent with the utmost earnestness to
the fact that the objection to their
present method Of attack against tho
trade Of their enemies lies in the prac-
teal impossibility Of employing sub
marines in the destruction Of commerce
without disregarding those rules OF
fairness, reason, Justice and humanity,
which all modern opinion regards as
imperative. 1t is practically impossible
for the officers Of q submarine to visit
q merchantmen At sea and examine her
papers and cargo. Il II practically i'm
possible for them to make prize OF
her, and, II they can not put q prize
crew on board OF her, they can not sink
her without leaving her crew and all
on board of her to the mercy Of the sea
in her small boats. These facts, 1t Is
understood, the imperial German gov
eminent frankly admit. We are in
formed that In the instances Of which
we have spoken time enough for even
that poor measure Of safety was not
given, and in at least two OF the cases
cited not so much as a warning was
received.
"Manifestly submarines can not be
used against merchantmen, as the
last few weeks have shown, without
an Inevitable violation Of many sa-
cred principles OF Justice and human
ity.
Insists Upon American Rights.
American citizens act within their
indisputable rights In taking their
ships and in travelling wherever their
legitimate business calls them upon
the high seas, and exercise those rights
in what should be the well justified
confidence that their lives will not be
endangered by acts done in clear vio-
lation Of universally acknowledged in
ternational obligation, and certainly In
the confidence that their own govern
ment will sustain them in the exer-
else Of their rights.
There was recently published in
the newspapers Of the United States,
regret to inform the imperial govern
ment, formal warning, purporting to
come from the imperial embassy at
Washington, addressed to the people Of
the United States and stating in effect
that any citizen Of the United States
who exercised his right of free travel
upon the seas would do so at his peril
If his journey should take him within
the zone of waters within which the
imperial German navy was using sub
marines against the commerce OF
Great Britain and France, notwith-
standing the respectful but very earn
est protest of this government the gov
eminent Of the United States. I do not
refer to this for the purpose Of calling
the attention Of the imperial German
government at this time to the surpris-
ing irregularity Of communication
from the imperial German embassy at
Washington addressed to the people Of
the United States thru the newspapers
but only for the purpose Of pointing
out that no warning that an unlawful
and inhumane act would be committed
can possibly be accepted as an excuse
or palliation for that act or as an
abatement Of the responsibility for Its
commission.
Believe Orders Misunderstood.
Long acquainted as this govern
ment has been with the character of
the imperial German government and
with the high principals OF equity by
which they have in, the past been actu-
ated and guided, the government Of
the United States cannot believe that
the commanders OF the vessels which
committed these acts Of lawlessnesS
did SO except under q Misrepresentation
Of the orders issued by the German au-
thorities. It takes 1t for granted that,
at least within the practical possible
tiles Of every such case, the command
ers even Of submarines were expected
to do nothing that would involve the
lives Of non-combatants or the safety
OF neutral ships, even at the cost Of
failing Of their object Of capture or
destruction. It confidently expects.
therefore, that the imperial German
government will disavow the acts Of
which the government OF the United
States complains, that they will make
reparations so far as reparation Is pos
sible for injuries which are without
measure. and that they will take inn
mediate steps to prevent the recurrence
Of anything so obviously subversive of
the principles of warfare for which
the imperial German government has
q q - = - W.