Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-04-27

manders or German vessels are con-
Quoting II. II unhappily does not stand
alone
Sussex Case Only One Instance.
On the contrary, the government OF
the United States IL forced by recent
events to conclude that It Ia only one
instance even though one OF the most
| extreme and most distressing in
| stances of the deliberate method and
spirit of indiscriminate destruction of
| merchant vessels Of all shorts, nation
alities. and destinations which have
become more and more unmistakable
AZ the activity of German undersea
vessels Of war has In recent months
been quickened and extended
The Imperial Government will recall
that when, In February, 1915, 1t an
nounced Its intention of treating the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireland as embraced within the seat of
war and Of destroying all merchant
ships owned by its enemies that might
be found within that zone of danger
and warned all vessels. neutral as well
as belligerent. to keep out OF the wa
tiers thus prescribed, or to enter them
at their peril, the government OF the
United States earnestly protested.
1t took the position that such a pol
icy could not be pursued without con.
slant gross and ralpable violations OF
the accepted law of nations; particu.
larry IL submarine craft were 10 be en-
ployed as It's instruments, inasmuch
as the rules prescribed by that law,
rules founded on the principles OF hui
mainly and established for the protec.
ton of lives of noncombatants at sea,
could not In the nature of the case be
observed by such vessels.
1t based Its protest on the ground
that persons OF neutral nationality and
vessels OF neutral ownership would be
exposed to extreme and intolerahle risk
and that no right to close any part of
the high seas could lawfully be as.
serted by the Imperial Government In
the circumstances then existing.
Based on Law Of Humanity.
The law of nations In these matters
upon which the government of the
1HiNVa taENd mat HIOteSt Is
not OF recent origin or founded upon
merely arbitrary principles set up by
convention. 1t Is based, on the con.
trary, upon manifest principles of hu.
mainly and has long been established
with the approval and by the express
assent OF all civilized nations.
ln pursuance of this policy OF sub
marine warfare against the commerce
OF its adversaries, thus announced and
thus entered upon in despite of the
solemn protest OF the government OF
the United States, the commanders of
the Imperial Governments undersea
vessels have carried on practices OF
such ruthless destruction which have
made 1t more and more evident as the
months have gone by that the I'm
perial Government has found 1t imprac-
tieable to put any such restraints upon
them as 1t had hoped and promised to
put.
Assurances Are Disresarded.
Again and again the Imperial Gov
eminent has given It's solemn assur-
ances to the government OF the United
States that at least passenger ships
would not be thus dealt with, and yet
1t has repeatedly permitted its under
sea commanders to disregard those
assurances with entire impunity.
Vessels OF neutral ownership, even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port.
have been destroyed along with the
vessels of helligerent ownership in
constantly increasing numbers. Some
times the merchantmen attacked have
been warned and summoned to sur.
render before being fired upon or tor
pedoed: sometimes their passengers
and crews have been vouchsafed the
poor security OF heius allowed to take
| to the ships boats before the ship was
| sent to the bottom. But again and
again no warning has been given, no
| escape even to the ships boats al.
| lowed TO those on board.
| American Death Roll Grows.
Great liners like the Lusitania and
Arabic and passenger boats like the
| Sussex have been attacked without a
| moments warning, even before they
have even become aware that they