The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1915-06-14

having understood the instructions
of the imperial German government
to its naval commanders to be upon
the same plane humane action
prescribed by the naval codes OF
other nations, the government of
the United States ,paS loath to be
lieve-it cannot no. bring itself to
believe-that these acts, so abso-
lutely contrary to the rules, the
practices and the spirit of modern
warfare, could have the countenance
or sanction of that great govern
ment.
1T feels 1t to be its duty, there
fore, to address the imperial Ger
man government concerning them
with the utmost frankness, and in
the earnest hope that it is not
mistaken in expecting action on the
part of the imperial German govern
ment which will correct the unfor-
tunate Impressions which have been
created, and vindicate once more
the position Of that government
with regard to the sacred freedom
of the seas.
The government of the United
States has been apprised that the
imperial German government con
sidered themselves to be obliged by
the extraordinary circumstances of
the present war, md the measures
adopted by their adyersaries in seek
ing to cut Germany off from all
commerce. to ado. methods of re
taliation which go { uch beyond the
ordinary methods G. warfare at sea.
in the proclamation OF a war zone
from which they lave warned neu-
tral ships to keep away.
U. S. is FIRM.
This government has already
taken occasion to inform the imper-
ial German government that it can
not admit the adoption of such
measures or such a warning of
danger to operate as in any degree
an abbreviation CT the rights Of
American ship masters or of Ameri
can citizens bound on lawful err
rands as Pc rs on merchant
ships of belligerent nationality; and
that it must hold the imperial Ger
man government to a strict account
ability for any infringement of those
right, intentional or incidental. 1t
does not understand the imperial
German government to question
those rights. j. ssumes, on the
contrary, that tSe imperial German
government accept, as of course, the
rule that the lives of noncombatants.
whether they be of neutral citizen
ship or citizens of any Of the ma
tions at war, cannot lawfully or
rightfully be put in jeopardy by the
capture or destruction OF an unarm-
ed merchantmen, and recognize also,
as all other nations do, the obligation
to take the usual precaution of visit
and search to ascertain whether a
suspected merchantmen is in fact
carrying contraband of war under
neutral flag.
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 OBJ
lection to their present methods of at
tack against the trade of their enemies
lies in the practical impossibility Of
employing submarines in the de-
struction of commerce without dis
regarding these rules of fairness,
reason, justice and humanity, which
all modern opinion regards as i'm
perative. 1t is practically impos-
sible for the officers OF submarine
to visit a merchantmen at sea and
examine her papers and cargo. 1t
is practically impossible for them
to make prize of her, and if they
cannot put prize crew on board
of her, they cannot sink her with
out 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 Ger
man government frankly admits. We
are informed 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 warning was received.
Manifestly. submarine cannot be
used against merchantmen, as the
last few weeks have shown, without
an inevitable violation of many sa-
cred principles Of justice and hu-
manity.
OUR RIGHTS EXPLAINED.
American citizens are within their
indisputable rights in taking their