Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-07-29

J lose +kSDelllaS6TSHLssd dCl Oh TStdlldtlou
is Sc an act beyond the law, and
tne-aefense Of an act as retaliatory is.
an admission that it Is Illegal.
Metheds OF Other National Irrelevant
'sThe government of the United
States is, however, keenly disap.
pointed to find that the imperial Ger
man government regards itself as in
large degree exempt from the obli-
cation to observe these principles,
even where neutral vessel are can-
cerned, by what 1t believes the policy
and practice of the government of
Great Britain to be in the present
war with regard to neutral COM
merce. The imperial German govern
ment will ready understand that the
government Of the United States can
not discuss the policy of the govern
ment of Great Britain with regard to-
neutral trade except with the govern
ment itself, and that it must regard
the conduct of other delligerent gov
ernments as irrelevant to any dis
cussion with the imperial German
government Of what this government
regards as grave and unjustifiable
violations of the rights of American
citizens by German naval command
aerS.
humanity Demands Suspension Of
Practice.
illegal and inhuman acts, however
justifable they may be thought to be
against an enemy who is believed to
have acted in contravention of law
and humanity, are manifestly 1nde-
afensible when they deprive neutrals
of their acknowledged rights, partic-
ularly when they violate the right to
life itself If "a belligerent cannot re-
taliate against an enemy without in:
juring the lives of neutrals, as we'll
as their property, humanity, as well
as justice and a due regard for the
dignity of neutral powers, should die
tate that the practice be discontin-
ued. If persisted in it would in such
circumstances constitute al, unpardonl
able offense against the sovereignty
of the neutral nation affected
Fundamental Right Must stand.
'The government of the United
States is not unnlindful OF the extra
ordinary conditions created by this
war or of the radical alterations of
circumstances and method of attack
produced by the use Of instrumental
ties Of naval warfare which the ma
tions Of the waIad cannot have had in,
view when the existing rules of in
ternaitonai law were formulated. and
it is ready to make every reaEonable.
allowance for these novel and unex-
spected aspects Of war at sea; shut It'll
cannot consent to ahate any essential
or fundamental right of its people be-
cause of a mere alteration Of circEan-
stance The rights pf neutrals dnl
time Of war are based upon principle, \
not upon expediency, and the prin.
cipies are immutable 1t is the duty
ad obligation OF bciIigerents to find
a way to adapt the new circumstance
to them.
s,,an Make Submarine Attack Legit-
innate. ss
The events of the past two months
have clearly indicated that u is pos
sible and prac Bile to conduct such
submarine operations as have char
acterized the activity of the imperial
German navy within the so-called war
zone in substantial accord with the |
accepted practices Of regulated war;
fare. The whole world has looked I
with intrsst an dincreasing satisfac-1
tinn ait the demonstration Of that pos
sibility BY German naval commando
ers. 1t iB manffestly possible there :
fore, to lift the whole practice of 1
submarine attack above the criticism