The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-09
Germany States Position.

-lne German government To-Day
gave out the text of "the memorandum
concerning retaliation against the
measures taken by England, in viola
ton Of international law to stop neu-
trail sea commerce with Germany It
follows:
"Since the beginning of the present
war Great Britain has carried on a
mercantile warfare against Germany
in a way hat defies ali the princi-
Piles Of international law. 1t is true
that the British government has an
in a number of DEGREES the
LOndOn declaration concerning naval
warfare to be binding on it's naval
forces. but in reality she has
ed the declaration in it's most import
ant particulars, although her own
delegates at the London conference
on naval warfare had recognized its
conclusions to be valid as interna-
tiOnal law.
Widens C%ontraband List.
1.-THE British government has put a
numbe Of articles in the list of con-
traband which are not, or at most
are only indirectly useful for military
purposes, and therefore, according to
the London declaration as we'll as ac-
cOrding to the universally recognized
rules of international law, may not
be designated as ntraban She had
further, actually abolished the dis
tlllctlon between absolute and relative
c~ontraband, inasmuch as she has u b
jected to capture, all articles Of rela-
tive c~Ontraband intended for Germany,
without reference to the harbor in
which they are to be unloaded or tC
the hostile or peaceful use of which
they are to be put.
Declarations Violated.
"She does not ever hesitate to VIC
late the Paris declaration as her n a
val forces have seized on neutral ships
) German property that was not con
) traband, in violation of her own de-
} crees concerning the London declara
ton. She has further, through hel
naval forces, taken from neutral ships
numerous Germans liable to mill.
: tary service and has made Of then
I prisoners Of war.
t FINALLY, she has declared the en-
S tire North Sea to be an area of war
= and if she has not made impossible tn
passage of neutral shipping through
: the sea between Scotland and Nor
s way has rendered it SO difficult and s.
dangerous that she has to a certain
extent effected a blockade of neutra
n coasts and neutral ports, III violation
Of all International law.
Would Starve Germany.
"AIl these measures have the Oh
" viOuS through illegal paralyZ
.r alton Of legitimate neutral commerce
not only to strike at the German mill
tary strength, but also at the eConomi
life Of Germany and finally, throug
n starvation, loom the entire populatio
a of Germany to destruction.
IF THE neutral powers have general
acouiesced in the steps taken by tn
British government.especially since tn
81 have not succeeded in inducing tn
British government to restore the Ger
man individuals and property seize
ID in violation Of international law. l
in CERTAIN directions they have also aide
I'd the British measures, which are il
le reconcilable with the freedom Of tn
sea, in that they have obviously, undo
the pressure of England, hindered /
e. export and ms embargOes tf
IN transit of wares for peaceful purposs
to Germany.
Germany Called In Vain.
'"The German government has
yainA called the attention Of neutr
j, powers to the fact that it must fat
~ the question Of whether It can long
&c p~erservere in it's hitherto strict Of
IN servance of the rules Of the Londo
1oo1o ration. If Great RritaiD were