Gilpin observer., 1916-04-27

sSS 11urSOay 1OllOWS:
least passenger ships would not be thus
dealt with; and yet 1t has again and
again permitted Its undersea command
ers to disregard those assurances with
entire impunity.
Refers to the Lusitania Outrage.
Great liners like the Lusitania and
the Arabic. and mere ferry boats like
the Sussex. have been attacked with
out a moments warning. sometimes
before they had even become aware
that they were in the presence of an
armed vessel of the enemy. and tho
lives live ,-as, Of nnon.c1m6atants non. passengers
sale in manner which the govern
| ment of the United States cannot but
regard A. wanton and without. the
No limit Of any kind has In fact
been set to the indiscriminate pursuit
and destruction of merchantmen of all
ters. constantly extending in area,
whore these operations have been car
ried on; and the roll of Americans
who have lost their lives on ships thus
attacked and destroyed has grown.
month by month, until the ominous
toll has mounted into the hundreds.
| Sussex Case Rivals Lusitania.
One of the latest and most shocking
instances of this method of warfare
French cross channel steamer Sussex
1t must stand forth as the sinking Of
| the steamer Lusitania did. as SO sing
constitute a truly terrible example Of
| the inhumanity Of submarine warfare
az the commanders of German vessels
have for the last twelve months been
conducting 1t.
If this incident stood alone some ex-
planation some disavowal by the Ger
criminal mistake or wiiful disobediencs
on the part of the commander of the
vessel that fired the torpedo might be
sought or entertained; but. unhappily.
1t does not stand alone.
Recent events make. the conclusion
inevitable that 1t is only one instance.
even though It be one of the most ex-
treme and distressing instances. of the
spirit and method Of warfare which
the imperial German government has
mistakenly adopted. and which from
the reproach of thrusting all neutral
rights aside in pursuit of its immedi-
ate object.
United States Has Hoped In Vain.
The government of the United States
has been very patient. At every stage
edy after tragedy in which its own
citizens were involved. 1t has sought
tc be restrained from any extreme
thoughtful consideration of the extra
ordinary circumstances of this unpre-
cedented war, and actuated in all that
genuine friendship which the people Of
the United States always have enter
tanned and continue to entertain
It has. Of course. % accepted Accepted the sue
tcessive explanations and assurances of
the imperial German government a.
faith. and has hoped. even against
hope, that it would prove to be pos
slble for the German government so
to order and control the acts of its
commanders
policy, with the principles of humanity
as embodied in the law of nations.
the significance of the Il facts t became ,
absolutely unmistakable and suscept-
ible of but one Interpretation. That
facts been sa
Interpretation.
The imperial German government
has not been able to put any limit:
either freight or passenger ships.
Demands U-Boat Raids End.
It has, therefore. become painfully
evident that the position which this
nameiy that ths use Of
submarines for the destruction Of any
ehemy's commerce is Of necessity.
because nths. Of the very character fss Of the
ods of attack which their employment.
Of course, involves. incompatible with
the principles Of humanity. the long
of neutrals and the sacred immunities
of non -combatants.
have deemed i my duty, there
man government that II il is still
Its purpose. to prosecute relentless
and indiscriminate warfare against
Of s''sS saemsr,nss, rs notwithsssndins q s the the
in.possibility OF conducting that war
fare in accordance with what the gov i.
consider the sacred and indisputabls
rules of international law and the uni
versally recognized dictates of human
states 10 at last forced to the conclu-
sion that there 10 but one course that
It can pursue. and that unless the i'm
fmmediateiy declare and effect AN an
abandonment of its present methods of
warfare against passenger and freight.
have no choiee but to sever diplomat
IL relations with the government of the
German empire altogether.
the Tiki %:s9. s:ys tho srpysH # ys 81
the action contemplated, I am sure.
all thoughtful Americans will look
forward to with unaffected rsluctancs:
some sort and BY the force OF circum
stances the responsible spokesman of
the rights Of humanity. S and that ,, y:
rights seem In process Of being swept
utterly away in the melstrom Of this
terrible war.
We owe It to Q due regard for our
own rights as nation, to our sense
of duty as representative OF the
rights of neutrals the world over. and
to n just conception Of the rights Of
mankind. to take this stand now, with
the utmost solemnity and firmness.
have taken It. and taken II in the
confidence that 1t will meet with your
men must unite In hoping that the i'm
perial German government, which has
In their circumstances stood as the
champion of all that we are now con.
tending for In the interest of human
ity, may recognise the Justice Of our
demands and meet them in the spirit
atn which they are made.