Part 26 (1/2)

It is no exaggeration to say that the event staggered the humanity of the world, yet the _Kolnische Volkeszeitung_ on May 10th, 1915, stated: ”With joyful pride we contemplate this latest deed of our Navy,” etc.

The commander of the submarine which struck the fatal blow was decorated, and a special medal was struck in the Fatherland commemorating the event, and dated May 5th--_two days before she was actually attacked and sunk_.

A copy of it is now before the writer.

It was struck with the object of keeping alive in German hearts the recollection of the German Navy in deliberately destroying an unarmed pa.s.senger-s.h.i.+p together with 1,198 non-combatants, men, women, and children.

On the obverse, under the legend ”No Contraband” (_Keine Banvare_), there is a representation of the _Lusitania_ sinking. The designer has put in guns and aeroplanes, which (as certified by United States Government officials after inspection) the _Lusitania_ did _not_ carry, but he has conveniently omitted to put in the women and children, which the whole world knows she did carry.

On the reverse, under the legend ”Business above all” (_Geschaft uber alles_), the figure of death sits at the booking-office of the Cunard Line, and gives out tickets to pa.s.sengers who refuse to attend to the warning against submarines given by a German.

This picture seeks apparently to propound the theory that if a murderer warns his victim of his intention, the guilt of the crime will rest with the victim, not with the murderer.

How the foul deed was plotted and accomplished is told in concise and simple language by Mr. John Price Jones in his book ent.i.tled, ”The German Spy in America,” which has an able introduction by Mr. Rogers B.

Wood, ex-United States a.s.sistant Attorney at New York; also a foreword by Mr. Theodore Roosevelt.

Summarising detail and extracting bare facts from Mr. Price Jones' work, it is shown that Germany had made her preparations long before war was declared. She had erected a wireless station at Sayville with thirty-five Kilowatt transmitters and had obtained special privileges which the U.S. Government never dreamed would be so vilely abused.

Soon after the declaration of war, Germany sent over machinery for tripling the efficiency of the plant, _via_ Holland, and the transmitters were increased to a hundred Kilowatts. The whole plant was in the hands of experts drawn from the German Navy.

On April 22nd, 1915, the German Amba.s.sador at Was.h.i.+ngton, by direction of Baron von Bernstorff, inserted notices by way of advertis.e.m.e.nt warning travellers not to go in s.h.i.+ps flying the British flag or that of her Allies, whilst many of the ill-fated pa.s.sengers received personally private warnings; for example, Mr. A. G. Vanderbilt had one signed ”Morte.”

It is also stated than one of the German spies who had helped to conceive this diabolical scheme actually dined, the same evening the vessel sailed, at the home of one of his American victims.

The sinking of the vessel was also published in the Berlin newspapers before she had actually been attacked.

On reaching the edge of the war-zone, Captain Turner, who was in charge of the _Lusitania_, sent out a wireless message for instructions in accordance with his special orders.

By some means unknown the German Government had stolen a copy of the secret code used by the British Admiralty.

A copy of this had been supplied to Sayville, which used it (_inter alia_) to warn Captain Turner against submarines off the Irish coast--which evidence was revealed at the inquest.

Sayville was very much on the alert, looking out for and expecting Captain Turner's request for orders.

As soon as it was picked up the return answer was flashed to ”proceed to a point _ten miles_ south of Old Head of Kinsale and run into St.

George's Channel, making Liverpool bar at midnight.”

The British Admiralty also received Captain Turner's call and sent directions ”to proceed to a point _seventy to eighty miles_ south of Old Head of Kinsale and there meet convoy.”

But the British were slow and the Germans rapid. Captain Turner received the false message instead of the genuine one, and over a thousand unfortunate beings were sent to their doom.

At the inquest the two messages were produced and the treachery became apparent. Further investigations pointed direct to Sayville, Long Island, New York, to which place the plot was traced.

The German witnesses who swore the _Lusitania_ had guns aboard her were indicted in America and imprisoned for perjury.

To use the wireless for any such cause as above described was contrary to and in violation of neutrality laws; also of the United States of America's statutes governing wireless stations.