Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
U. S. Governments White
Book Gives Diplomatic Cor
respondence Since May.
REVEALS TO THE PUBLIC
ia. DIFFICULTIES ARISING
New Edition Publishes for First
Time German Memorandum Re-
garding Embargo on Arms.

Containing the text of important DIP
lomatic correspondence between the
United States and the belliGerent gov
ernments of Europe. the second install
ment of the United States governments
white book was issued last night by
the State Department. The second in
stallment gives all the correspondence
between the governments since the is
suance of the first installment last May
The book constitutes public record
of the position of the United States as
a precedent for the future. and the vol
unle reveals to the public a series of
charges and countercharges by the bel
llgerents that reflect the difficulties
constantly encountered in the delicate
task of observing neutrality.
Much of the correspondence never be-
fore has been made public in text. al
though press dispatches have covered
most of it in substance.
One of the most interesting features of
the new edition is the publication for
the first time of memorandum Of the
German foreign office referred to IN
colloquy between Chairman Flood of the
House foreign affairs committee and
Representative Barthodt of Missouri at
the hearing on the bills proposing an
embargo on arms. Mr.. Flood quoted the
memorandum as a justification of his
argument that the German government
did not hold shipments Of munitions TO
the allies as Illegal: 1t appears that the
correspondence with the German govern
ment conducted by Amba ssador Won
Bernstorff developed as consequence
of ruling by the United States that it
was a violation OF neutrality Tor 1ner-
chant ships to leave American ports for
the express purpose Of supplying bel
ligerent warships at sea The ambas-
sadnrS note said:
THE position taken by the government
OF the United States as to the delivery
of coal and other nee eSSa~icS to war
ships of the beliserent states consul
tuting a violation OF reutra lty rs, IN the
opinion of the imperial German govern
ment untenable in international law. The
imperial government has set forth us
position on this point in a memorandum
which, in compliance with INSTRUCTIONS.
! have the honor to forward 10 your
excellency"
The memorandum follows:
Position of Germany.
.Cnder the general principles of in
ternational law no exception can De
taken to neutral states letting war
material go to Germanys enemies from
or through their territory. This is &C
cordant with Article ! of the Hague
convention of October is, 1907, con-
corning the rights and Guties of neu-
trails in naval and land warfare. If,
however. state avails itself of that
liberty in favor of her enemies, then
it must in accordance with a rule
generally accepted in international law
and confirmed in Article of the two
conventions above cited. place no OBJ
stacle to the German military force
ordering contraband from or through
its territory. In spite thereof,
various American port authorities have
denied clearance from American ports
to vessels of the merchant marine
which would carry needed supplies or
fuel to German warships, either on
the high seas or in other neutral ports.
According to the principles OF interna-
tional law above cited. neutral state
need not prevent furnishing supplies
of this character: neither can it, after
allowing the adversaries to be fur
nished with contra band, either detain
or in any way disable merchant ship
carrying such cargo. Only when con-
traband trade would turn the ports
into bases of German military opera
lions would the unIateral stoppage of
the trade of those vessels become a
duty.
Such, perhaps would be the case if
the Germans kept coal depots in the
ports or if the vessels called at the
port in regular voyages on the way to
German naval forces But il stands to
reason that one merchant vessel occa-
sionally sailing with coal or supplies
for German warships does not turn a
neutral port into d German point of
support contrary to neutrality.
Our enemies draw from the
United States contralsand of war, espe-
cially arms worth several billions of
marks. This in itself they are author
lied to do. But If the, United States
would prevent our warships occasion
ally drawing supplies from it's ports a
great injustice grows oat of the au-