Arizona republican., 1916-04-20

lished with the approval and by the
express assent of all civilized nations.
THE imperial government notwith-
standing, persisted in carrying out the
policy announced, expressing the hope
that the dangers involved. at any rate
to neutral vessels, would be reduced
to the minimum by the instructions
which it had issued to the commanders
of its submarines, and assuring the
government of the United States that
it would take every possible precauuiCn
both to respect the rights of neutrals
and to safeguard the lives of non com
batantS.
In pursuance of this policy of sub
marine warfare against the commerce
of its adversaries thus announced and
thus entered upon in spite of the
solemn protest of the government of
the United States, the commanders Of
| the imperial governments undersca
vessels have carried on practices of
! such ruthless destruction as have made
it. more and more evident as the
months have gone by that the imperial
| government has found it impracticabie
to put any such restraints upon them
as it had hoped and promised to put.
Again and again the imperial gov
eminent has given its solemn asSur-
ance to the government of the United
| States that at least passengers would
not be thus dealt with, and yet 1t had
repeatedly permitted its undcrSel com To-
manders to disregard these assurances;
with entire impunity.
Promise Warnings.
AS recently as February last il gave
notice that it would regard all armed
merchantmen owned by its enemies as
part of the naval forces of its adver-
saries and deal with them as with men
Of war, thus at least by implications,
! pledging itself to give warning to yes
| sells which were not armed and accord
security Of life to their passengers and
crews; but even this limitation their
submarine commanders have recklessly
ignored
Vessels of neutral ownership. even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral to neutral port, have beer
destroyed along with vessels Of bellis-
erent ownership in constantly increas-
ing numbers. Sometimes the mer-
chantmen attacked have been warned
and summoned to surrender before be-
ing fired on or torpedoed; sometimes
their passengers and crews have beer
/. vouchsafed the poor security e beinc
allowed to take to the ships boats be-
fore the ship was sent to the bottom
But again and again no warnings have
been given, no escape even to the ship!
boats allowed to those on board.
Great liners like the Lusitania anC
Arabic and mere passenger boats Xix,
the Sussex have been attacked withOu
a moments warning, often before they
| have even become aware that the,
were in the presence Of an armed shil
Iof the enemy, and the living of non com
batants. passengers and crew, hav
been destroyed wholesale and in
manner which the government of tn
. United States can not but regard a
wanton and without the slightest colo
of justification.
No Limit of Any Kind.
mo limit of any kind has in fac
been set to their indiscriminate pursui
E and destruction of merchantmen of d.
, kinds and nationalities within tn
d waters which the imperial government
n has chosen to designate as lying with
9 in the seat of war. The roll of Ameri
f cans who have lost their lives upo
= ships thus attacked and destroyed ha