The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-24
MANNING, s, c., WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY "a 1915
HOLDS TO WAR zone
GERMakY REPLIES TO AMERICAN
Note OF PROTEST

GtkMAki RtILltS III HMEk!GAN
| Note OF PROTEST
BLANES GREAT BRITAIN
Hopes United States Will Bring Eng.
Land Back to Law of Nations-Will
Then Call OF Its Announced Policy
of Destroying English Merchant
men.
Germany's reply to the protest of
the United States against designation
of a naval war zone about the Brit
ish Isles is couched in the most
friendly terms, but firmly maintains
the position Of Germany as already
announced.
The full text follows:
1.-The imperial government has e1-
amined the communication from the
United States government in the
same spirit of good will and friend
ship by which the communication ap-
pears to have been dictated. The
imperial government is in accord
with the United States government
that for both parties it is in a high
degree desirable to avoid misunder-
standings which might arise from
measures announced by the German
admiralty and to provide against the
occurrence Of incidents which might
trouble the friendly reations which
SO far happily exist between the two
governments.
with regard to the assuring Of
these friendly relations, the German
government believes that it may all
the more reckon on full understand
ing with the United States as the pro-
cedure announced by the German ad-
miralty, which was fully explained in
the note of the 4th instant, is in no
way directed against legitimate COM
merce and legitimate shipping of neu-
trails, but represents solely a measure
Of se1f-defense, imposed on Germany
by her vital interests, against Eng
lands method of warfare, which is
contrary to international law, and
which so far no protest by neutrals
has succeeded in bringing back to the
generally recognized principles Of law
as existing before the outbreak of
war.
"In order to exclude all doubt re-
garding the cardinal points, the Ger
man government once more begs
leave to state how things stand. Until
now Germany has scruuplously OBJ
served valid International rules re-
garding naval warfare, At the very
beginning Of the war Germany i'm
mediately agreed to the proposal of
the American government to ratify
the new Declaration of London, and
took over it's contents unaltered, and
without formal obligation, into her
prize law.
''The German govern -ncnt has
obeyed these rules, even when they
we're diametrically opposed to her
military interests. For instance, Ger
many allowed the transportation of
provisions to England from Denmark
until to-day, although she was we'll
able, by her sea forces, to prevent 1t.
"In contradistinction to this atti-
tude, England has not even hesitated
at a second infringement Of interna-
tional law, if by such means she could
paralyZe the peaceful commerce OF
Germany with neutral5. TIE Ger
man government will be the less ob-
liged to enter into details, as these
are put down sufficiently, though not
exhaustively, in the American note
to the British government dated De-
cember 29, as a result of five months
experience.
Neutral Rights Infringed.
Gall these encroachments have
been made, as has been admitted, in
order to cut of all supplies from Ger
many and thereby starve her peaceful
civil population-a procedure con-
trary to international lews.
"The American government, as
Germany readily acknowledges, has
protested against the British proceed
ure. In spite Of these protests and
protests from other neutral states,
Great Britain could not be induced to
depart from the course Of action she
had decided upon. Thus, for in
stance, the American ship Wilhel-
nina recently was stopped by the
British although her cargo was des-
tined solely for the German civil pop
ulation, and according to tile express
declaration Of the German govern
ment, was to be employed for this
purpose.
Germany is as good as cut off
from her overseas supply By the 81
lent or protesting toleration of neu-
trails, not only In regard to such goods
as are absolutely contraband, but also
in regard to such as, according to ac-
knowledged law before the war, are
only conditional contrcband or not
contraband at Ill.
"Great Britain, on the other hand,
is with the federation o. neutral gov
ernments, not only supplied with
such goods as are not contraband or
only conditional contraband, but with
goods which are regarded by Great
Britain, il sent to Germany, as abso-
lutely contraband; namely, provi-
sions, industrial raw materials, ETC.,
and even with goods which have al
ways indubitably been regarded as
absolute contraband.
= THE German government feel it
self obliged to point out with the
greatest emphasis that traffic in
arms. estimated at many hundreds Of
millions, is being carried on between
American firms and Germany's enc
mics. Germany fully comprehends
that the practice Of right and the tol-
GRAFTON Of wrong on the part of neu-
trails are matters absolutely at the
discreicn OF neutra1s, and involve no
formal violation Of neutrality. Ger
many. therefore. did not complain Of
any formal violation Of neutrality,
bu; the German government, in view
OF cOmOlete evidence before it. can