The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-12

government might, despairing of a friendly settlement break off dirlo- matic relations, and thus create con dition out of which war might come without the intention of either coun- try. l do not ask you to minimize the earnestness of the Presidents state ment-that would be unfair both to him and to Germany. The sinking of the Lusitania cannot be defended upon the facts as we understand them. The killing of innocent women and ehil- dren cannot be justified whether the killing Is by drowning or starving; no nation can successfully plead the inhumanity of her enemies as an excuse ] for inhumanity on her own part. While it is true that the cruelty is apt to | beget cruelty, 1t cannot be said that like cures like Even in war we are not absolved from the obligation to remedy evils by influence of a good example. Let your lights so shine as precept that knows no times nor seasons as it knows neither latitude 1 nor longitude
 Cases Different
 "3. Do not attempt to connect the
 negotiations which are going on be- ] tween the United States and Germany i with those between the United States | and Great Britain. The cases are diff | ferert, but even if they were the same 1 it would be necessary to treat with ! each nation separately. My personal I preference has been to repeat our in- l 1lstence that the allies shall not in
 terfore with our commerce with neu- 1 tral countries, but the difference on l this noint matter of indon.ert
 and not a matter of principle. In the
 note to Great Britain, dated March 30, 1 thIs government said:
 1 "In view of these assurances for
 maiiy given to this government 1t Is 1 confidently expected that the extensive
 pow CTS conferred by the order in ooun-
 ell on the executive officers of the l crown will be restricted by "orders
 issued by the government directing 1 the exercise of their discretionary
 powers in such manner as to mod l fly in practical application those pro- | visions of the order in council which l if strictly enforced, would violate neu-
 tral rights and interrupt legitimate
 trade. Relying on the faithful per | formance of these voluntary assurances | by his majesty's government the uhi- 1 ted States takes 1t for granted that
 the approach of American merchant 1 men to neutral ports situated upon the long line of coast affected by the err der in council will not be interfered | with when 1t is known that they do no, carry goods which are contrapand
 of war or goods destined or proceed lns from ports within the belligerent 1 tel ritory affected
 'There Is no doubt that our government | will insist upon this position; that Is an important thing. the exact date or the note is not material. My reason TOT oe- l siding to have the matter presented to Great Britain at once, was not that Ger | many had any right to ask 1t, but De- cause I was anxious to make II as easy aa possible for Germany to accept the demands of the United States and cease to employ submarines against merchant ] men There is no reason why any Ger
 manAmericans should doubt the Presi- dents intentions in this matter l am sure that every one will on reflection, recognize that our duty to prevent JOSS of life is more urgent than our outy to preyent interference with traoe-ioss ol trade can be compensated for with money hut m settlement that the United States and Germany may reach can call back to life those who went down with the Lusi- ltan!a-and war would be the most expen- sive of all settlements because 1t would enormously add to the nufnper or the dead
 Hopes Germany Will Agree
 A. I hope that Germany will acquiesce
 in the demands that have been inaue
 and I hope that she will acquiesce Tn then
 without conditions She can trust the
 United States to deal justly with her IT fhe consideration of any changes tha
 she may propose in the international rules that govern the taking of prizes. Tht
 more generously she acts in this matter the greater will be the glory which sn'
 will derive from it. She has raised g louestion which is now receiving serious
 consdera tion namely whether the intro
 duction of the submarine necessiates any
 change in the rules governing the cap ture of the prizes. The position seeming lly taken by Germany. namely, that sh' | is entitled to drown noncombatants De
 cause they ride with contraband, IS al
 untenable position; the most that sn'
 could Insist upon is that in view Of th'
 introduction of this new weapon or war
 fare new rules should be adopted-sepa
 ra ting passengers from obJectionap
 cargo. If the use of the submarine 1ustl
 fies such change in the law of blocRan
 as will permit the cordon to be withdraw
 far enough from the shore to avoid tn
 danger of submarine attack. may 1t no
 be found possible to secure an fnterna
 tional agreement by which passengers vii
 be excluded from ships carrying contra
 band, or at least from those carrying
 ammunition. It would require but siigh
 change in the shipping laws to mak
 this separation and belligerent nation
 might be restrained from unnecessaril. increasing the contraband list if they wer compelled to carry contraband on trans ports as they now carry troops. Person i ally I would like to see the use Of sub marines abandoned entirely. just as would like to see an abandonment Of thu use of aeroplanes and Zeppelins for tn carrying of explosives, but I am no sanguine enough to believe that any of