New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-30

les. and directing his challenge spe-
.ifically to America, he asked: nat
yill America say"
We took up the challenge, ana
IN February 10, 1915, called the atten-
ion of the German government 70 the
yery serious possibility OF such
course, which we then stigmatized
as an indefensible violation of neutral
rights. for uhich the government tc0n'e
be concerned 10 hold the German gov-
,rrmert TO a strict accountability, and TO
take ann steps IL might be necessary TO
take TO safeguard the American lives
and liberty and TO secure TO American
citizens the full enjoyment OF their ac-
knowledged rights on the high seas.
The German government showed its
contempt for this threat Of "strict &C
,ountability" by sinking, on March ~
915. the Falaba, the Gulflight few
weeks later and the Lusitania on May
:. 1915. when more than 1000 men,
women and children were fed to the
ishes.
The First Lusitania Note
On May 10, 1915, President Wilson
,ent note in which he stated that
The government Of the United States
desires 10 call the attention of the I'M
perial German Government, with the
utmost earnestness, TO the fact that the
objection TO their present method Of at
tack against the trade OF their enemies
lies in the practical impossibaity of en-
blowing submarines in the destruction Of
commerce without disregarding those
rules of fairness, justice and humanity
which all modern opinion regards as
imperative.
II is virtually impossible for the Of
fcers of a submarine 10 visit merchant
man at sea and examine her papers and
cargo. Il is virtually impossible for
them 10 make a prize Of her; and If they
cannot put a prize crew on board Of her
then cannot sink her rithOUt LEAVING her
crctc aud all on board Of her 20 the
racrcu OF the sea tn her small boats.
These facts, it is understood. the I'm
perial German Government frankly ad-
mits.
We are informed that in the instances
of which we have spoken. time enough
for even that poor measure Of safety was
not given and, in at least two Of the
cases cited. not so much as warning
was received. Manifestiy submarines
cannot be used against merchantmen, Gs
the last fem iceeks hare shotcn. tcithout
an ineritdblc Uiold,iOn Of many sacred
principles Of justice and humanity.
Thus President Wilson took the
broad ground that the submarine could
lot discharge the obligations Of inter
rational law in destroying merchant
ships, and the inevitable conclusion was
hat the use of the submarine as a
commerce destroyer must be aban-
toned. This did not deny to the sub
marine its legitimate use,in war IN de-
;troying battleships.
No Heed Paid to Our Protest
Notwithstanding this clear demand,
which, if it had been effectively sus-
aimed, would have made a notable and
noble application Of international law
20 a new method of warfare, the Ger
nan government continued to use the
submarine in the very manner de-
bounced by President Wilson. On
Iune % it sunk the Armenian and killed
eleven citizens. Eleven days later 1t
attacked the 0rduna without warning.
Thereupon our government, on July
II. 1915. gave TO the German govern
nent the last warning that generally
-recedes a declaration of war, assert
ng that another such act would be re
yarded as deliberately unfriendly."
The answer to this was the sinking
IF the Arabic, on August 10, when more
American citizens were fed to the
fishes, and there IN the German For
,ign Office gave TO our government the
specific pledge that
liners will not be sunk by our submarines
without warning and without safety OF
the lives of nOn-combatants, provided
that the liners do not try To escape or
offer resistance.
With this clear assurance, the hor-
-or of the Lusitania was again re-
oeated on November 7, 1915, when the
Ancona was sunk, and on September
30, 1915, by the sinking of the Persia.
On all these occasions the lives OF
American citizens, including women and
children, were cruelty sacrificed.
Notes Upon Notes
Then followed more notes and more
diplomatic jugglery, all of 1t having
he effect, if not the purpose, OF chloro-
forming the conscience of the Ameri-
can people, until April, 1916, when the
Sussex was destroyed without warn
ng by torpedo, and after the usual
amount of false explanations the Ger
nan Foreign Office finally admitted this
act OF piracy.
Thereuuon, on April 10, 1916, our
gave to Germany its final
warming
After again stating in unequivocal
language that the
use of thc submarine for the destruction
Of an cncmy'a commerce ~ OF necessity
utterly incompatible NTH the
principles Of humanity, the long estab-
lshed and incontrovertible rights of
neutras and the sacred immunities Of
non-combatants,
the note proceeded to say that IL IL
was the purpose of the Imperial gov
.rnment to continue its method of sink
ng merchant ships without search,
warming or safeguarding the lives of
non combatants, there was but "one
.otrse" that the government Of the
United States could pursue, and that
would be TO
scror diplomatic relations with the Ger
man Empire altogether.
Nothing could be palmer than this