Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-04-21

ment has failed TO appreciate the
gravity of the situation which has re-
suited, not alone from the attack on
the Sussex but from the whole meth
cd and character of submarine war
fare as disclosed by the unrestrained
practice of the commanders of Ger
man undersea craft during the past
II months and more in the indis-
criminate destruction of merchant
vessels of all sorts, nationalities and
destinations.
If the sinking of the Sussex had
been an isolated case the government
of the United States might find it
possible to hope that the officer who
was responsible for that act had will
fully violated his orders or had been
criminally negligent in taking none
of the precautions they prescribed,
and that the ends of justice might be
satisfied by imposing upon him an
adequate punishment, coupled with a
formal disavowal Of the act and pay
ment of a suitable indemnity by the
imperial government. But, though
the attack upon the Sussex was man
ifestly indefensible and caused loss
of life so tragical as to make 1t stand
forth as one of the most terrible ex-
amples of the inhumanity of subma-
rine warfare as the commanders Of
German vessels are conducting it, it
unhappily does not stand alone.
One Instance of Germany Policy.
On the contrary, the government
of the United States is forced by re-
cent events to conclude that it is
only one instance, even though one
of the most extreme and most dis
tressing instances, of the deliberate
method of spirit of indiscriminate de-
struction of merchant vessels Of all
sorts, nationalities and destinations
which have become more and more
unmistakable as the activity of Ger
man undersea vessels of war has in
recent months been quickened and
extended.
The imperial German government
will recall that when, in February,
1915, it announced it's intention of
treating the waters surrounding
Great Britain and Ireland as en-
braced within the seat of war and Of
destroying all merchant ships owned
by it's enemies that might be found
within that zone of danger, and
warned all vessels, neutral as we'll as
belligerent, to keep out Of the waters
thus prescribed, or to enter them at
their peril, the government Of the
United States earnestly protested. 1t
took the position that such a policy
could not be pursued without con-
slant gross and palpable violation OF
the accepted law of nations, parttcu-
larly II submarine craft were to be
employed as its instruments. mas
much as the rules prescribed by that
law, rules founded on the principles
of humanity and established for the
protection of lives of noncombatants
at sea, could not in the nature of the
case be observed by such vessels.
Basis Of American Protest.
1t based its portest on the ground
that persons of neutral nationality
and vessels of neutral ownership
would be exposed to extreme and In
tolerable risks, and that no right to
close any part of the high seas could
lawfully be asserted by the imperial
government in the circumstances
then existing. The law Of nations in
these matters upon which the govern
ment Of the United States based that
protest is not of recent origin or
founded upon merely arbitrary prin-
ciples set up by convention. 1t is
based, on the contrary, upon mani
fest principles of humanity and has
long been established with the ap-
proval 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 a minimum by the in
structions which it had issued to the
commanders of its submarines, and
assuring the government Of the
United States, the commanders of the
United States that 1t would take
every possible precaution both to re-
spect the right of neutrals and to
safeguard the lives of noncombat-
ants.
Carries ON Ruthless Destruction.
In pursuance of this policy Of sub
marine warfare against the COM
-, o,oo ~ {&o advorca rios thus an