The Commoner
JUNE, 1915
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considered as an ordinary nnaraed merchant '
vessel. The Imperial gpvernment begs in this
connection to point out that the Lusitania was
ono of the largest and fastest. English commerce
steamers, constructed, -with government funds as
auxiliary cruisers, .and is -expressly included in
the navy list published by the British Admiralty.
It is moreover known to the Imperial government
from reliable' information furnished' by its offi
cials and neutral passengers that for some time
practically all the more5 valuable English mer
chant vessels have been provided' with guns, am
munition and other weapons, and reinforced with
a crew specially practiced in manning guns. Ac
cording to reports at hand here, the Lusitania
when she left New York undoubtedly had guns
on board-which, were' mounted under decks and
masked.
The Imperial government furthermore has the
honor to direct the particular attention of the
American government to the fact that the British
Admiralty by a secret instruction of February
of this year advised the1 British merchant marine
not only to seek protection behind neutral flags
and markings, but eyenrwhpn so disguised to at
tack German submarines by ramming them. ,
High rewards have .been offered .by the, British
government as a special t incentive f or the de
struction of the BubmarJLnes by, merchant vessels,
and such rewards have already been paid out.
In view of these facts, which are satisfactorily
known to it, the Imperial government is unable
to consider English merchant vessels any longer
as "undefended, territory" in the zone of mari
time war designated by tjie admiralty staff t of the
Imperial German navy, the German commanders
are consequently no longer in a position to ob
serve the rules of capture otherwise usual and
with which they invariably complied before this.
Lastly, the Imperial government must specially
point out that on her last trip the Lusitania,' as"1
on earlier occasions, 'had Canadian troops and
munitions on board, including nb less than 6,400'
cases of ammunition destined for the destruction
of brave German soldiers who are fulfilling with
self-sacrifice and devotion their duty in the ser1- ''
vice of the Fatherland. The German 'government' '
believes that it -acts'in just self-defense 'when it
seeks tp protect tiig lives of its soldiers by d'e-'
stroying'ammuhititin "destined for tlie enemy
with the means of war at its command. The
English steamship company must liavi beenaware
of the dangers to -which passengers on board the .
Lusitania were exposed under the circumstances.
In taking them on iboard in spite of this the
company quite deliberately tried to use the lives
of American citizens as protection for the am
munition carried, and violated' the clear provi
sions of American laWs wnich expressly, prohibit,
and provide punishment for, the carrying of pas- '
sengers on ships which, have explosives on bpard.
The company thereby 'wantonly caused the death
of so many passengers. According to the ex
press report :of the ' submarine commander con
cerned, which Is further, confirmed by all other
reports, there cail lie nP doubt that the rapid
sinking pf the Lusitania was primarily due to the
explosion of the cargo oif ammunition caused by
the torpedo. Otherwise, in ail human probabil
ity, the passengers of ike Lusitania would have
been saved.
The Imperial government nolds the facts re
cited above to be of sufficient importance to
recommend tliem to jf careful examination by the
American government. The Imperial govern
ment begs to reservo ,a-final statement of its po
sition with regard to the demands made in con
nection with th.e sinking of the Lusitania until a
reply is received f rpm the American government,
and believes that it should recall here that it took
note with satisfaction of the proposals of good
offices submitted by the American government in
Berlin and London "with a view to paving the way
for a modus vlvondl for the conduct of maritime
war between Germany and Great Britain. The
Imperial government furnished at that time am
ple evidence of its. goog will by its willingness to
consider these proposals. The realization of these
proposals failed, as is known, on account of their
rejection by the government of Great Britain.
The undersigned requests His Excellency, the
Ambassador, to bring the above to the knowledge
of the American government and avails himself
of the opportunity to renew, etc.
VON JAGOW.
Former Senator BPurne, who Roosevelt testi
fied introduced ATchbold of the Standard oil to
him when he came a-lobbying, is at the head of
the newly-organized republican press bureau in
Washington. The bureau, it has been announced,
has been adequately financed.
Aiding Latin-America
Address of Secretary of State Bryan at the
?n Z ng Ven:i? h0n0r of theUruguaydeleBation
to the financial, congress, at tho New Willard
hotel, Washington, May 27, 1915.
Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Minister of Finance, and
other guests:
I am grateful to our host, Mr. O'Brien, for
the honor that he does mo in allowing me to join
him in paying this tribute of respect to tho guest
of honor, the distinguished minister of finance
of Uruguay, Senor Cosio. Doctor De Pcna, tho
illustrious representative of that republic, has
won for his country a position of high favor
among us. My visit to Uruguay, five years ago,
had already predisposed me to hold the country
in great esteem, and subsequent association with
ltd officials has cultivated in my heart a sincere
friendship. I found, when in Uruguay, that it
had paid this nation a very high compliment by
making1 our school system the model for its own
educational institutions. This was the result of
a visit paid by a citizen of Uruguay to the United
States many years ago, and this fact suggests
the possible effect of the visit to this country of
those who are now' attending the financial con
gress in this city.
I shall, for this evening, put aside the restrlc-'
tions and limitations of my official position ani
speak to you as an individual. As secretary of
state it is my duty to deal diplomatically with
-the government whose high official we honor to
night, but I do not desire to speak diplomatically
on this occasion. I desire to speak rather as
man to man, for my sympathetic interest in all
that concerns Latin-America is not mere official
formality; it is deep and abiding.
This conference has brought together, a great
many financiers, some of whom are among us
tonight. I am glad to meet with them but am
afraid that I can not claim a place among finan
ciers; in fact, if 1 were accused of being a fi
nancier I think I could abundantly prove an
alibi, but I shall venture to utilize this occasion
to present two suggestions of a financial charac
ter. Possibly, if I were a financier I would know
better than to present them, but whether they
are acceptable or not they will at least testify
to my earnest desire to have our nation exhibit
a neighbprly spirit toward our sister republics,
and render them every possible service.
The first suggestion I have had in mind since
my visit to South America five years ago. I
then learned that there was but little if any di
rect communication between the banks of South
America and the banks of the United States.
During my connection with the state department
I have been increasingly impressed with the dis
advantages from which we suffer in this respect,
both as to South America and Central America.
The new currency law authorizes the estab
lishment of branch bank3 in other countries, and
this provision is already being put into usd. Sev
eral branch banks have been established in Latin-America,
and the state department will give
every legitimate encouragement to the exten
sion of our banking system in foreign countries.
It takes time, however, for a plan like this to bo
developed, and I feel so deeply interested in the
welfare of our neighboring republics that I ven
ture to suggest the propriety of establishing a
Item of exchange through the direct action of
th tesnective governments. I see no reason
wy a Plfn might not be drafted by which credit
rstablishea by the deposit of money with our
government could be transferred by cable to any
nther covernment and thus be available for im
Pdiate use In like manner a credit similarly
StaWtebSTby deposit of money with any other
gTdnino? Vennre anT tTTnt
present money frue? system and, until branch
banks caV be established in them, would, it
eems to me, be of considerable advantage in our
deaHngs with the Latin-American countries.
Tne second suggestion Is somewhat bolder .and
i. t Mnir the nlan entirely practicable. I have
rnVtliat the greatest obstacle to the develop
ment o Uie Tsmaller republics in Latin-America
m ,o hitrh rate of interest which these govern
is the high rate oi por instance on0
ments are c0f'e?hil inference has informed
f hafhfs" gove nmentTs paying eight per cent
me that his fruY year Ioan. How can wo
interefVeneaVy development of these countries
expect the early e interest? I do
our government can render than to underwrite
such loans as may bo necessary for the Internal
development of thcoo countries.
The plan which I suggest Is a simple one, viz:
Whonover one of these republics desires a loan
for an improvement of substantial and per
manent benefit, let Its government Issue bondi
drawing, say, four per cent, and deposit them
with our government as security. Then lot our
government Ibsuo its own bonds at three per cont
and put them on tho market; tho demand hero
is, I am sure, sufficient to absorb any such bonds
as wo would bo called upon to Issue. Tho one
per cent difference between the Interest paid by
tho Latin American ropubllc on its four per cent
bonds, and the interest paid on our threo per
cerit bonds would creato a sinking fund which
would, within a generation, retire tho bonds.
Thus, by tho loaning of our credit to these sister
republics we would hasten development, and
render them a great service without incurring
any Teal risk ourselves, for wo need not fear that
any of these governments would dofault In the
payment of such an obligation, and who will
doubt that such a disinterested service, rendered
by ub, would cement forever tho friendship be
tween our country and the countries assisted?
The good will so evident here has led me to
venture these suggestions; whether you approve
them or riot I am sure you will accept them In
the spirit in which they are offered.
And now allow me to propose the health of
the president of Uruguay, the prosperity of tin
republic and the welfaro of her people.
ANOTHER BLUSHING HONOR
Dean Harlan of tho law department of the
Maryland university, in presenting Secretary
Bryan the degree of Doctor of Laws, said:
''In accordance with the immemorial usage of
academic societies, which aro accustomed on
festal occasions to bestow upon eminent men,
personal tokens of appreciation and regard, 1
have the honor by virtue of tho mandate of the
regents of this university to present to you, In
order that ho may receive the honorary degree
of Doctor of Laws William Jennings Bryan.
"A Bachelor and Master of Arts of Illinois Col
lege; a Bachelor of Laws of Union College of
Law; a Doctor of Laws of the University of Ne
braska and of other Institutions of learning; dis
tinguished as lawyer, statesman, patriot, editor,
author, orator; a master of the art of public
speaking, more widely known than any living
American for the power and eloquence of his
forensic oratory, having exercised by tongue and
pen a most profound influence upon the national
life for over a quarter of a century; constant ad
vocate of peace and righteousness and Justice
among men; strong upholder of the doctrine of
the equal rights of all, and of the rule of the
people r fearless denunciator of public wrongs:
exemplar and teacher of virtue, temperance and
sobriety; long prominent 1n public life and in
tho discussion of governmental policies; at pres
ent a cabinet officer of the highest rank, pres
idential adviser, holding the portfolio of secre
tary of state, in charge of foreign affairs, Inter
national relations and diplomatic matters at one
of the most trying and critical periods in our
national existence, when to preserve the nation
al peace with national honor requires tho wisest
handling of most difficult situations; a name al
ready written large in American History."
The republican press bureau deliberately hint "
that the reason why Secretary Bryan is so In
defatigable in his peace efforts Is that he has an
eye on the $,40,000 Nobel peace prize. The
moral calibre of a man can be judged with great
accuracy by noting the motives that he reads
into the acts of others. A man wko Is incapable
of doing an Ignoble thing never conceives of an
other doing it. A man who reads motives Into
the acts of others does "but register, for the scru
tiny of others, the Inner workings of his own
mind what he would do himself.
The most noteworthy and Important gather
ing of the past month was the conference at
Washington In which nineteen American coun
tries wero represented, and at which a full ex
change of views on international relations was.
had. The 'Wilson administration bids fair tor
have to its credit an achievement, in the cement
ing together in ' really solid Manner f tkeie
Americas, tkat will b truly wortk whiles-
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