The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 19, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3985, 19 July 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 19, 1915.

The carefully considered judgment by

the British Commission, of which Lord Mersey is the head amply

‘•Resnemtmr the Lusitania!”

coniinus the verdict of the coron<v s enquiry with reference to the Kinking of tin; Lusitania. It was, and will ever he regarded as, a cruet crime not ■only against the laws of war. but also against the structure of civilisation and, when the right time comes, the Kaiser and his advisers must he made to pay for their vile misdeed—seeing that the act was assuredly done with their knowledge and consent—to the uttermost farthing. In the meantime all. that can be done is to speed on the preparations having as their aim the complete destruction of the forces of evil which they have caused to be let loose. By this time one and all must be agreed that the crime was part of a calculated policy to strike terror into the people of Britain and her Allies and, it would perhaps not be going too far also, to include the United States and other neutral nations. It is true that the German authorities have not again tried to intimidate the people of the United States by publishing any further notices in Lie leading journals- oi that country drawing attention to the risk of journeying to Great Britain. But there is no evidence that they are sorry for their dastardly cirne. No doubt purely for diplomatic purposes they have merely expressed sympathy with the Government of the United States at the loss of American lives on the occasion of the disaster. As showing how hypocritical is such an action one has only to bear in mind the fact that the German authorities in the United States had no shame in openly making known their intention to passengers by the Lusitania. The notice which was inserted next to the Guuard Company’s advertisement in the Now York journals is very clear evidence that the crime had been well planned beforehand. It may not have been read by some of our readers— NOTICE ! TRAVELLERS intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war in-i-hides the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the . Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or of any of her allies, areliable to destruction in those waters and that travellers sailingin the war zone on ships oi Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk. IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY, Washington, D.C., April 22, Kilo.

What is perhaps the most amazing feature of the whole business is the claim by the Huns that the notorious warning completely absolves them from all blood-guiltiness. That, is, of course, not so. Nor is the fact that the disaster might have been averted if greater precautions had been taken anything in favor of those who instigated the murder. As it so happens it would seem that, even if all the Admiralty’s orders had been strictly obeyed the'vessel might not have succeeded in reaching her destination safely. What these instructions wore and in what regard they wore departed from has not been disclosed. It is quite certain that the Lusitania was following close upon her accustomed course. That may have been against instructions. Then again her captain may have been going against orders in slowing down on nearing the Irish Coast. But at any rate it would seem that the. vessel was expected to do more than merely zigzag along her course in order to keep clear of submarines. Perhaps it, may not he generally known but the German official account of the deed indicates that when the Lusitania was fired upon she was not displaying any (lag. The pirates’ own of the crime, therefore, reveals the fact that they'wore lying in wait for the vessel; that they knew when and where to come across lier; and that they must have been aware of the fact that in the event of their attack being successful hundreds of innocent people would bo bound to lose tlieir lives. In view of all those facts the reported attitude of at least a section of the people of the United Stacs can only be regarded as extraordinary. Whilst their Government continues its protest to the Huns against any further violation of the laws'of war and the laws of civilisation this section apparently is only concerned about its pockets. The movement in that groat country

to try and compel Britain to give up her blockade is not,, however, likely to be successful. If it were the Huns would, of course, be placed in a better position to prolong their hopeless struggle for world domination with all its attendant appalling loss of life and destruction of property. Some of the people, who, as a whole, “remembered tho .Maine” would, then, seem to have thus early forgotten the Lusitania!