The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-18

Al responsibility Tor eath nceldsnf'
Hna their consequences,
t0tImnnt Aaa further cxrftaelf
nnnnnhttl lhf doalftttIIon n nil me.
my merchant vessels within ina net
Sons. but mos the dettq.i1iion 6f an
mtfthant vessels. as the United
et4les Seams e~oneoutIr 80 have ~.
dfrNfped' This rttftlctinn which Ger
I1I Is fHo aim 81 cur wHTIafe. e4nt-
tssIlt aa ia sht application on ihe
~conten(ion cf contfabapd prHetfctd
~ 0foat Britain towards Germany
which conception Uil nc aItc be Aim.
n~fesasnrilan sin be that neutral
many nnI1fanV . Unwilling 70 re.
pI4stnct ~ ~c1Difhhln1 IN ntutreI
q~onciu4|onf }herefrom.
<iermans "a ready. finally 70 de-
uhtIaIt with the United states com
cefuInN n measures which might
secure the safety Of legitimate ship
ping 81 nruiiAl1 IN the war som
Germany cannot, however. fufbenr 90
point oat thar All lta efforts IN this
uirprtlpn uat ~ rtntrfet yrry dif-
iicali BY Two circumstances: nrst. the
nisuse 81 neutral flags hy british
merchant vessels. uhirh IL indahil-
ably known % the united siates. ecr-
one, h conlraband trade already
mtnilouco. especially In war mater
laIa on neutral tesseis.
"Regarding the latter point. Ger
many vuui1 faln hope that The Unit |
"a Hialen. after further consideration.
viii come 10 q conclusion correspond
Ing 10 the spirit Of real neutrality.
Hqeardine ihe nrst point. the secret
order OF the British admiralty. rec
~ommendlnr &c British merchnn, ships
the use ~ neutral flaEs. has been
communicated hy Germany 10 the
United States and confirmed BY ecm-
m~unicaflou with the Britain foreign
Office. which deslenntes his proceed
ure A. entirely unnbfectlonabio ard
IN accordance with British law. Brit !
ish Inerchant shippine Immediately
followed this advice. as doubtless ~
known 10 the American government
from the Incidents Of the Lusiinnia
and Laertes.
Moreover. the british government
has supplied arnss 10 British mcr-
chnnt ahins ee1 instructed the.n
forribly 10 resist German snhma-
Flncs. In thcse circumstances itl
would be very difficult for subma-
rines 10 recognise neutral merchant
ships. for search in most cases can
not be undertaken. seeing that in the
cnae Of a disguised British shin from
.HNIaA -. .a4..H -. - 49,
searching party ana the submarine
would be exposed TO destruction.
Great Britain then wss IN a po-
Kition 10 make the German measures
inunory II he British merchant fleet
persisted IN the misuse OF neutral
flags and neural ships could not 9TH
erwlse be recognized beyond doub;
Germany, however, being In a state
Of necessity. wherein she was pIaced
By violation OF law. must render ef-
feetive her measures IN all circum-
stances IN order thereby 20 compel
her adversary TO adopt methods OF
warfare corresponding with interna-
tional law and > 10 restore the free
dom OF the seas OF which Germany
NJ All ume& Is the defender and for
which she today Is fightins.
Germany therefore rejolces that
the United states has made repre-
sensations 10 Great Britain concern
ing the Illegal use OF their flag aud
expresses the expectation that this
procedure viii force Great Britain 10
respect the American flag In the fu-
ture. In this expectation command
ers Of German Submarines have been
instructed. a. already mentioned IN
the note or February 4. to refrain
from violent action against American
merchant vessels. so far as these can
be recognized.
I'm order 70 prevent In the Hurest
manner the consequences Of confu-
Hio~n--though naturally not so far as
mines are concerned-0ermany rec
ommends that the unlted States
make their ships which are conveying
peaceful carEOes through the British
war zone dincermbie by means OF
conveys.
Germany believea II may net on
the ruppositioh that only such ships
would be conveyed as carried goods
rot reearded ~ c~ontraband. accord
ms 10 the British Interpretation made ,
In the case Of Germany.
AiNN Abit mtAnuU OF fNhNNN 'AN
be carried out Is a question concern
ing which Germany IL ready TO open
negotiation with the United States
NJ soon NJ possible. Gei ~ would
be particularly grateful, however. n
the tnited states would urgently rec
ommend 20 IT, msrchant vessels 10
avoid the British naval war zone. In
any case. until tho settlement o. the
nag question. Germany Is inclined
90 the confident hope that the Unit
ed States will be able 20 appreciate
Il ne entire Significance tho heavy
battle which Germany n wneine for
existence and that from the foregoing
explanations and promises II will ac-
quire fun understanding OF the mo-
tives and tho aims OF the measures
announced by Germany.
Germany repeats that Il has now
resolved upon the projected measures
only under the strongest necessity Of
naval self defense, such Measure hnv-
ing been deferred out OF considers
tion for ncutrals
III Inc United states, in view OF
the weight which Il II Justified in
throwing and able to throw into the
scales Of the fate o. peoples. should
succeed AZ the last moment III femoy-