New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-02-08
Ruthless Submarine Warfare and
the Prussian Autocracy
How Broken Ptomises Of German Government Forced United
States Into Wa In Defense Of In Rights as 4 Free Nation
By DAVD s HOUSTON. Secretary q Agriculture

| sank the Falaba, drowning an Ameri'
can citizen; on May / the GulHight
drowning two American citizens; and
on May 7 the Lusitania, drowning ia
These acts were followed by a pro
test from this government on May IS
in which a demand was made for dis
avowal of the action Of the commander
Of the submarine in sinking the Lusi'
tania and for r%eparation. This gov
eminent informed Germany that II
would omit no word or act necessary
to the performance Of its 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-
sponsibillty for the sinking of the Lusi'
tania on Great Britain and the British
shipping company, asserting that the
Lusltania was an auxiliary cruiser
which was false, that 1t was armed
which was equally false, and that the
| COkuYuIy Z llALtC ~ ~ SulA Au0hk
lions, which 1t had a 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
L~usitania and as to her armament, as
sorting that it was sunk without warn
ing, solemnly renewed its representa-
| tons, 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 II her sub
marine commander had practiced visit
and search the submarine would have
been destroyed. She c%ynically added
that in any event it was to have been
expected that I 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 c~learness to what jeOp-
ardy of human lives the name Of con
Quoting wal employed by her adver.
saries led. American ships, she prom
Used, 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 a guaranty be
furnished that they would not carry
c%ontraband. She impudently Informed
Vi that she would agree to a proposal
to increase by installments the number
of vessels available for the passenger
service by placing a reasonable number
Of neutral ships under the American
flag.
OF course the secretary Of state
answered that Germany's reply was
unsatisfactory. It did not indicate
how the principles Of international
law and humanity could be applied.
It proposed a partial suspension of
them which, in effect, set them aside.
This government noted Germany's as
surance, made once more, as to the
freedom of the seas, that the character
and cargoes Of merchant vessels would
be first determined and that lives of
noncombatants would not be leopard
lied. The United States demanded
the disavOwal Of the act Of the com
mander of the submarine and repara-
ton for injuries. 1t revealed the
warning to Germany and advised her
that. the repetition Of such an act
against the rights of the United States
affecting her citizens would be re-
garded as deliberately u~nfriendly.
Less than a month after this definite
representation, Ambassador Page sent
notice from London Of the sinking of
the Arabic, with a loss Of three Ameri-
can lives. Five days later the German
ambassador expressed the hope that
the United States would await full
information before acting and asserted
that If American lives were lost it was
not in accordance with the intention
Of the German government. A week
later he gave this assurance: "Liners
will not be sunk by our submarines
without warning and without safety of
nOncOmbatants, provided that they do
not try to escape or offer resistance"
This was promise number two.
Makes Another Promise.
He added that this policy was de-
cided upon by this government before
the Arabic was sunk. This was followed
on September Z by word from the Ger
man government through Ambassador
Gerard that the Arabic was sunk be-
cause 1t planned to attack the Sub
marine, that the government could not
admit indemnity v II the COM
mander was mistaken, and that. II he
was, the government would be willing
to submit the case to The Hague. On
the 18th, after receiving the facts, Mr..
Lansing wrote that the Arabic was
not warned and did not try to ram the
submarine. On October 8 Bernstorff
replied that the German government
rules had been made 80 stringent that
no repetition Of the Arabic case was
possible, admitted the validity Of the
evidence against the Arabic's attempt
to ram the submarine, expressed re-
greet at the occurrence, disavowed the
act and offered indemnity.
This was promise number three.
On March ~ the state department
sent Ambassador Gerard word that
there was much evidence that the
channel passenger steamer Sussex was
sunk By . torpedo March "a with 32a
passengers On board. 1t asked for In
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