Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-25


cecoec IN eHt"ndir &. he- pussea%ivaa ,y
to!cc against laws II RIGHT and mo-
rai!tr. iie: tender consideration for.
the civilian population ard her view
OF the SAT- TO which ~ should bs
EXEMPTED from the pressure and hor-
rora OF war arc amply illustrated by
neF dealings III Belgium, Northern
Fran Poland Serbia ana on ,re l.ch
aeas.
GERMANY SHOULD HAVE
THOUGHT BEFORE STARTING
Ccrtaini: Germany ought TO have
thought of EnElsnds fect and the pos
sibility OF being cut OF before She so
recklessly embarked in war She did
not establish, and has no; yc. cstab-
iished, even M approximately effective
blockade. She impertin entity warned
ncutrals TO keep their citizens off
enemy merchant vessels ana out of tn.
WAY zone. Neutral citizens had. and
have, perfect right TO travel on un-
armed o. even dcfrnsively armed
enemy merchant vessels and to GO
rher, they please on the high seas.
To have lcccdcd TO such .nspl+nt die
;atich from German" would have
amounted to a waiver OF international
Lew and rights and to the doing of an
urneutrai act sEain.; the allies. iu:;,
as would compliance with the SUCCESS
ton made By Germany on February
II and frequently repeated, that rcu-
tra!s cess" TO ship arms and munilion.
10 the allies. Germany knew that neu-
trails had Il perfect ,;eh, TO do this.
she herself had exercised tho same
right more than once. She knew the
dealers III this country would have
ni!ed munition orders for her. and That
II WAS no fault Of ours that she could
not secure them. These things too.
she ought 20 have though, OF before
she provoked hostiIitics.
On February II this government; re-
piled, con;estinG Germanys position.
and warning her that il would hold
he- TO a strict accounta bility and take
every neccssar" step TO safeguard
American lives and property and 10
secure full enjoyment Of their rights
on the high seas.
March y. 1915. the allies issued a
decree in which They declared that !,
was necessary 10 prevent merchandise
from reaching Germany directly or
through neutrals. They, however as
serted in taking this step that thcy
would not follow Germany in her cruel
and barbaroIs methods. ami would not
in their intention cndancer neutral
vessels or the lives OF noncombatants
that they would act III strict con-
formity with the laws of humanity. On
March .8 a German Submarine sank
the Falaba. drowning an American
citizen; on May the Ciulhisht, drown
ing two American citizens. and on Nay
the Lusiiania. drowning ia.
FALSELY STATES THAT
LUSI1,tNIA WAS CRUISER
These acts we're followed by a FRO
test from this government or MAJ -.
in which demand was made for dis
avowal OF the action Of tho commander
Of tho submarine in sinking the l.us!-
tank. AID tor reparation. This CO.,
eminent Informed Germany THAT IL
would omit word or act necessary.
to the performance OF its sacred DUTY
OF maintaining the rights OF the United
States ard OF its citizens and Of SAFE
guarding their free exercise. On Nav
IS, Germany replied placing tho re-
sponSibili,y for the sinking of the I.usi-
tania on Great Britain and the British
shipping company. asserting that the
.
which was false; that it. was armed.
which was equally false. ano that tho
company permitted il to carry NUM-
tions which IL had "A right to do. or
III" LIST OF June the German govern
ment asserted that the attack Oh the
Outright was an unfortunate accident.
that the submarine commander vas in
poWiac TO blame. and expressed regret,
and stated that il would pay damages
On the 9th Of June the government
of the United States replied 20 Ger
many's tueitania note denying the
statements as to the character of the
LuSltania ana as 10 ner armament. as
sorting that IL was sunk without warn
ing. solemnly renewed it's representa-.
tons, and asked assurance THAT Amer
lean ships and tine lives of American
citizens be not put In JEOPARDY. a
month later Germany answered say
ing that she was compelled to meet
the Fritish blockade. and that il her
submarine commander had practiccd
visit and search the submarine would
have been destroyed She cynically
added that in any event : II was to-
have oeen expected that IA mighty ship.
like the I.usitania would remain above
the water long enough for its pas
sengcrS 10 get of. The sinking Of this
ship, she hypocriticaily represented.
revealed with horrible clcarness to
what jeopardy of human lives tho man