The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-10

the principle that war should be con ducted against the armed and organized forces of an enemy country but that the enemy civilian population must be spared as far as possible from the measures of war. The imperial government cherishes the definite hope that some way will be found when peace is concluded, or per haps earlier. to regulate the law of mari- time war in a manner Guaranteeing tho freedom of the seas, and will welcome with gratitude and satisfaction if it can work hand in hand with the American government on that occa sion.
 If in the present war the principles which should be the ideal of the future have been trtversed more and more, the longer it's duration. the German govern ment has no guilt therein. It is known to the American government how Germany S adversaries by completely paralyzing peaceable traffic between Germany and neutral countries have aimed from the very beginning and with increas sing lack of consideration at the destruction, not so much of the armed forces as the life of the German nation. repudiating in do- ing so all the rules of international law and disregarding all rights of neutrals.
 England Violates Law
 "On November g. 1914 England declared the North sea war area. and by planting poorly anchored mines and by. the stop page and capture of vessels made pas sage extremely dangerous and difficult for neutral shipping, so by that actually blockading neutral coasts and ports, con- trary to all international law. Long be- fore the beginning of submarine war Eng land practically completely intercepted legitimate neutral navigation to Germany also. Thus Germany was driven to a sub marine war on trade. On November IA, 1914, the English premier declared in the House of Commons that it was one of EnglaRd's principal tasks to prevent food for the German population from reaching Germany via neutral ports. Since March l. England has been taking from neutral ships without further formality all mer- chandise proceeding to Germany. as well as all merchandise coming from. Germany, even when neutral property Just as it was also with the Boers. the German is now to be given the choice of perishing from starvation with it's women and chil- dren or of relinquishing its independ- ence.
 f"while our enemies thus loudly and openly proclaimed without mercy until our utter destruction, we were conduct ing war in self-defense for our national existence and for the sake of peace of an assured permanency. We have been obliged to adopt a submarine warfare to meet the declared intentions of our
 
 adopted by them in contravention of in- ternational law.
 with all it's efforts in principle to protect neutral life and property from damage much as possible. the German government recognized unreservedly in it's memorandum of February 4, that the in terests of neutrals might suffer from the submarine warfare. However. the Amer ican government will also understand and appreciate that in the fight for exist ence which has been foyced upon Ger many by it's adversares and announced by them, it is the sacred duty of the imperial government to do all within it's power to protect and save the lives of German subjects. If the imperial gov ernment were derelict in these its duties it would be guilty before God and his tory of the violation of those principles of highest humanity which are the foun- dation of every national existence
 "The case of the Lusitana shows with horrible clearness to what jeop- ardizing of human lives the manner of conducting war employed by our adversaries leads In the most di- rect contradiction of international law. all distinctions between merchantmen and war vessels have been ob1iterated by the order to British merchantmen