El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-20

ership in constantly iucreosi,,,- 49,,
bers sometimes the merchantmen at
lacheq nave been warned and sum
hloheu 70 surrender before being fired
on or tofpedoed; sometimes their mas
sengers and crews have been voucb-
safed the poor security OF beiner Of
lowed to take to the ships boats he
lore tue snip was sent TO the bottom
Sometimes WantOn Destruction.
But again and again no warning has
been given, no escape even to the sbin's
boats allowed to those on board Great
liners like the Lusitania and Arabic
and mere passenger boats like the Sus-
sex have been attacked without a mo-
ment's warning, often before thew have
even become aware that they were in
the presence Of an armed shin of the
enemy, and the lives Of noncombatants
passengers and crew have been de-
stroyed wholesale and in a manner
which the government of the United
States cannot but regard as wauton and
without the slightest color OF justifi-
cation"
No limit of any kind has, in fact. been
set to their lndiscriminate pursuit and
destruction of merchantmen of all kinds
and nationalities within the waters
which the imperial government has
chosen to designate as lying within the
seat of war The roll of Americans who
have lost their lives upon ships thus
attacked and destroyed has grown
month by month until the ominous toll
has mounted into the hundreds
u. s. Has Been Very Patient.
The government of the United States
has been very patient At every stage
OF this distressing experience OF trag-
edy after tragedy it has sought to be
governed by the most thoughtful con-
sideration of the extraordinary cir
cumstances Of an unprecedented war
and to be guided by sentiments Of very
genuine friendship for the people and
ff,, of (1a7- nv hoe
cepted the successive explanations and
assurances of the imperial government
as, Of course. given in entire sincerity
and good faith and has hoped, even
against hope, that it would prove to be
possible for the imperial government so
TO order and control the acts of its
naval commanders as to square its
policy with the recognized principles Of
humanity as embodied in the law of ma
tons. II has made every allowance for
unprecedented conditions and has been
willing to wait until the facts became
unmistakable and were susceptible OF
only one Interpretation.
It now owes it to just regard for
its own rights to submit to the imperial
government that that time has come
1t has become painfully evident that the
position which il took at the very out
set as inevitable, namely, the use OF
submarines for the destruction of an
enemys commerce, is. Of necessity. be-
sells employed and the very methods Of
attack which their employment OF
course involves, utterly incompatible
with the principles of humanity. the
long established and incOntrovertihie
rights of neutrals and the sacred i'm
munities of nOncOmbatants-
The Threat of Breach.
If it is still the purpose of the i'm
perial government to prosecute relent-
less and indiscriminate warfare against
vessels of commerce by the use Of sub
maries without regard to what the COX
eminent Of the United states must con-
slider the sacred and indisputable rules
Of international law and the universally
recognized dictates Of humanity, the
government of the United states is ut
last forced to the conclusion that there !
is but one course 1t can pursue. Unless
the imperial government should now
Immediately declare and effect an aban- !
donment Of its present methods of sub |
marine warfare against passenger and !
freight carrying vessels, the govern
ment of the United States can have no /
choice but to sever diplomatic relations /
with the German empire altogether. /
This action the government OF the I
United States cOntemplates with the 4
strained to take I'm behalf of humanity
and the responsibility of neutral ma !
tons
Appendix Contains Facts in Case.
The appendix to the note under cap
ton Statement Of facts in Sussex case
accompanying note TO German govern
ment of April IS, 1916" follows:
PART ONE.
THE French channel steamer Sussex,
employed regularly in passenger serv-
Ice between the ports Of FOlkestone. /
England. and Dieppe. France. as It has
Deen for years, CFrench foreign office
eft Folkestone for Dieppe at 1924 p.
H., March "a. 1916, with 325 OF more
passengers and crew of So men !
Declaration Of Capt Mouffett: rear ad-
niral Grassets report). The passengers.
lmong whom were about IS American
,itizens, Telegram London embassy.
March %, and Paris embassy, March