Evening journal., 1917-09-12
To The K iser
(From the scientifc Amerlcan).

You are doubtless aware that in re-
cent issues OF the public Ledger" OF
Philadelphia, our late Ambassador 10
the German Imperial Court, the Hon.
James w. Gerard, has been publishing
q series Of articles under the caption,
MY Four Years in Germany"
You VIII readily understand that. in
view Of the political events covered by
that period, these disclosures have a
very vital interest for the American
people: and none Of them more so
than the record Of our Ambassadors
interview with you at Charleviile,
touching the matter Of your ruthless
submarine warfare against peaceful
merchant shipping.
In the particular interview referred
To-, you stated that the submarine had
come to stay; that It was a weapon
recognized by all countries; and that
you had seen a picture Of a proposed
giant submarine In an American paper
the Scientific American. The giant sub
marine, as you are doubtless well
aware, IS sim in the theoretical stage,
and you probably will agree with us
that II Is likely 10 remain there for
some time TO come. If not, indeed, in
definitely.
The predlsposlng motive OF the pres
ent comment upon your interview Is TO
be found In the sentence following the
one Just quoted, which reads. "Ho,
that is yourself, "added that there was
no longer any international law" We
shall entirely agree with you In this
statement II you will modify it 10
read, "'rhere is for Germany no longer
any international law; for we Amer
leans, in common with all the civilized
nations OF the earth, have como ia
realize that, IN place OF that carefully
and labOri0usly constructed code OF
principles and practices, which is
known as international law, YOU have
substituted a policy Of cynical expedi-
ency and Opportunism, according 20
which you are law unto yourself
that you consider any and all practices
which conduce to the military welfare
OF Germany to be Justified by the very
fact that they so operate. 10 was your
wholesale population Of international
law and particularly Of such laws as
were designed to protect civilian non
combatants, that has drawn the Amer
lean people into the present august
array OF the civilized world against
yourself and those OF your advisors
who have promoted and let loose this
greatest Of the worlds tragedies.
So FAR az the entrance Of the United
States into the war Is concerned, Il
was your browning breach OF the IN
ternational code as represented by the
killing OF American civilians I'm the
present submarine warfare. that has
brought the whole American people
into griIp and determined conflict
with yourself and those principles OF
international lawleasnoss under which
you and tho military party In Germany
are now operating. This was tho I'M
mediate cause; but we arc free TO nd
nit that the crisis produced by this
last breach Of the International cod.
was merely tho climax TO a state OF
cumulative moral Indignation. duo q
the ever-Howlng evidence that, IN
every case where II suited your mill.
tary purpose, you were prepared t.
flout the whole civilized world b,
casting the international code to IN,
winds. In proof OF this we invite you
attention 90 tho following notabl
transgresslOns:
1. In rnpudintlng the sanotity or 81
written word by referring TO a time
1 honored treaty as d scrap OF paper,
you have overthrOwn one OF the greo
foundation stones OF modern olvilizs
ton.