The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-02-07

sank the Falaba, drowning an Ameri-
can citizen; on May l the Gulaight,
drowning two American citizens; and
on May Z the Lusitania, drowning ia
These acts were followed by pro-
test from this government on May 13,
in which q demand was made for dis
avowal of the action Of the commander
of the submarine In sinking the Lusi-
tania and for reparatiOn. This gov
ernment informed Germany that 1t
would omit no word or act necessary
to the performance of it's sacred duty
of maintaining the rights of the United
States and of its citizens and of safe
guarding their free exercise. On May
%, Germany replied, placing the re-
spOnsibility for the sinking of the Lusl-
tania on Great Britain and the British
shipping company, asserting that the
Lusitania was an auxiliary cruiser,
which was false, that 1t was armed,
which was equally false, and that the
company permitted 1t to carry NUM-
tiOns, which it had right to do.
On the 9th of June the government
Of the United States replied to Ger
many's Lusitania note, denying the
statements as to the character Of the
Lusitania and as to her armament, as
serting that 1t was sunk wi, hOut warn
ing, SOlemr:y renewed its representa-
tiOns, and asked assurances that Amer
lean ships and the lives of American
citizens be not put in jeopardy. A
month later Germany answered saying
that she was compelled to meet the
British blockade, and that If her sub
marine commander had praCtlced visit
and search the submarine would have
been destroyed. She cynically added
expected that mighty ship like the
Lusitania would remain above the wa
ter long enough for its passengers to
get off. The sinking of this ship she
hypOcrItically represented, revealed
with horrible clearness to what jeOp-
ardy of human lives the manner of con-
Quoting war employed by her adver-
saries led. American ships, she prom
ised, would not be hindered from their
legitimate business, and lives on neu-
trail vessels would not be jeOpardized.
This was promise number one.
Gives Orders to NeutraIs.
She decreed that neutral vessels must
be properly marked, sufficient notice be
given in advance, and guaranty be
furnished that they would not carry
contrahand. She impudently informed
us that she would agree to a proposal
to increase by installments the number
of vessels available for the passenger
service by placing reasonable number
Of neutral ships under the American
flag.
OF course the secretary of state
answered that Germany's reply was
unsatisfactory. 1t did not Indicate
how the principles Of International
law and humanity could be applied |
1t proposed a partial suspension of |
them which, in effect, set them aside. |
This government noted Germany's as
Surance, made once more, az to the |
freedom of the seas, that the character |
and cargOeS Of merchant vessels would |
be first determined and that lives of /!
would not be leopard
lied. The United States demanded |
the dsavOwal of the act of the com
mander of the submarine and repara.
finn for in iI1Ffoc rnInnlnI ha
to Germany and advised her |
that the repetition of such an act |
against the rights Of the United States
her citizens would be re- |
garded as deliberately unfriendly.
Less than month after this definite
Ambassador Page sent |
notice from London of the sinking of |
the Arabic, with loss of three Ameri-
can lives. Five days later the German
expressed the hope that !
the United States would await full
before acting and asserted
that If American lives were lost it was
not in accordance with the intention
Of the German government. A week
ater he gave this assurance: Liners
will not be sunk by our submarines
warning and without safety of
1oncombatants, provided that they DO
lot try to escape or offer resistance"
This was promise number two.
Makes Another Promise,
He added that this policy was de-
'ided upon by this government before
he Arabic was sunk. This was followed
on September by word from the Ger
nan government through Ambassador
ierard that the Arabic was sunk be-
cause 1t planned to attack the sub
marine, that the government could not
admit indemnity even If the COM
nander was mistaken, and that If he
vas, the government would be willing
o submit the case to The Hague. On
he 14th, after receiving the facts, Mr..
Lansing wrote that the Arabic was
lot warned and did not try to ram the
On October s Bernstorff
'eplied that the German government
'ules had been made so stringent that
10 repetition of the Arabic case was
possible, admitted the validity of the
evidence against the Arabic's attempt
o ram the submarine, expressed re-
;ret at the occurrence, disavowed the
let and offered indemnity.
This was promise number three.
On March q the state department
'ent Ambassador Gerard word that
here was much evidence that the
.hannel passenger steamer Sussex was
'unk by a torpedo March "a with 32S
passengers on board. 1t asked for in
~~>~~-~~~4~~~~~~|~ ~~~|~S~~~~~~~.o~-~~~~
IT talent Qt may, after all, be no
more than a temporary development