The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-22

excellency's mind any misapprehen
sion you may have been under re
sArding either the policy and the
spirit and purposes OF the govern
ment OF the United States Its neu'
-tEziity IL founded upon thu arm
basis of conscience and good will.
Accept. excellency. the renewed
assurances OF my highest regard.
wv. J. BRYAN"
with trade from this country such
as the government Of Great Britain
have attempted. as intended merely
to illustrate more fully the situation
to which you desire TO call our at
tention. and not as an Invitation TO
discuss that course.
-Your excellency's long expert
enee In international Affairs will
have suggested 20 you that the rela-
tons Of the two governments with
one another cannot wisely be made
subject OF discussion with a third
government. which cannot be fully
informed as TO the facts. and which
cannot be fully cognisAnt OF the
reasons for the course pursued
believe, however. that am justi-
fed In assuming that what you de-
sire to call forth Is frank state
ment OF the position Of this govern
ment In regard TO It's obligations as
4 neutral power.
The general attitude and course
OF policy OF this government In the
maintenance OF Its neutrality I am
particularly anxious that your ex-
cellency should see in their true
light had hoped that this gov.
ernment's position In these respects
had been made sbundantly clear.
but ] am Of course perfectly will
ing TO state Il again. This seems
10 me the more necessary and de
sirable because. I regret TO say. the
language which your excellency en-
ploys in your memorandum n sus-
ceptible Of being construed az i'm
the good faith Of the United
States In the performances Of its
duties as q neutral
Il take d Cor sranted thai no
such implication was intended but
II Ia 80 evident that your excel
leney Is laboring under certain false
impressions that ! cannot be too
explicit in setting forth the facts
as they are. when fully reviewed
and comprehended-
In the first place this govern
ment has at no time and In no man
ner yielded any one Of It's rights
as neutral TO any one Of the pres
emit belligerents. II has acknowL
edged as a matter OF course. the
right Of visit and search and the
right to apply the rules OF contra
band OF war to articles Of com
merce. II has. indeed. insisted upon
the use OF visit and search as an abb
solutely necessary safeguard against
installing neutral vessels for yes
sells owned by an enemy and against
installing legal eargoes for Illegal.
II has admitted also the right of
blockade. II actually exercised and
effectively maintained.
These are merely the well known
limitations which war places upon
neutral commerce on the high seas.
But nothing beyond these has IL
conceded. call your sxceIlency's
attention to this Notwithstanding
Il Is already known to all the world
as consequence of the publication
OF our correspondence in regard 10
these matters with several of the
belligerent nations, because can.
not assume that you have oficial
cognizance OF II.
In the second place. this govern
ment attempted to secure from the
German and British governments
mutual concessions with regard 70
the measures those governments re-
spectively adopted for the Interrupt
ton OF trade on the high seas. This
II did. not Of right but merely a.
exercising the privileges Of a sin
State department opinion vas d.
vided today on the matter OF a pos
sibie German rejotnder 10 the Unit.
ed States note 10 the memorandum
on arms. addressed TO Ambassador
Bernstorm. Wednesday.
Oficials agreed that the American
not undoubtedly accuses the Ger.
man communication author OF bad
diplomatic taste. n nothing else. It
was addressed point-biank TO Am
bassador Bernstorff. but the gen
eral Impression was that Il was aim
ed at the Berlin foreign once.
There was a strong belief in ON.
cial circles that Germany has been
set night" on the American attitude
concerning arms shipments TO bel
ligerents and that no further dlpIo-
matte discussion will arise from this
one point.
n. A