South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-24
TEXT OF REPLY TO GERMANY

belligerents 10 find a way 10 adopt the
new circumstances 20 them.
Germany Complimentcd.
The events of the past two months
have clearly indicated that it is pos
sible and practicable 10 conduct such
submarine operations as have charac-
terized the activity Of the imperial
German navy within the so-called war
zone in substantial accord with the
accepted practices of regulated war
fare. The whole world has looked
with interest and increasing satlstac-
ton at the demonstration OF that pos
sibility by German naval command
ers It is manifestly possible there
fore 10 lift the whole practice or sub
marine attack above the criticism
which il has aroused and remove the
chief causes Of offense.
In view of the admission of Illegal
ty made By the imperial government
when it pleaded the right of retalia-
ton in defense Of its acts and in view
Of the manifest possibility Of conform
ing 10 the established rules OF naval
warfare. the government Of the Unit
ed States cannot believe that the i'm
perial government will longer refrain
from disavOwing the Wanton act of its
naval commander in sinking the Lu-
sitania or from offering reparation for
the American lives lost so far as
reparation can be made for needless
destruction Of human life by an ille-
gal act
The government OF the United
States while not Indifferent TO the
friendly spirit in which il is made.
cannot accept the suggestion of the
imperial German government that
certain vessels be designated and
agreed upon which shall be free on
the seas now Illegally prescribed The
very agreement would, by implication,
subject other vessels to illegal attack
and would be "A curtailment and
therefore an abandonment of the
principles for which this government
contends and which In times Of calm
er cOunsels every nation would con-
cede as of course.
The government Of the United
States and the imperial German gov
eminent are cOntending for the same
great object, have long stood togeth-
er IN urging the very principles upon
which the government of the United
states now so solemnly insist.
VIII Contend for Rights.
They are both contending for the
freedom of the seas. The government
of the United States Will continue to
contend for that freedom, from what
ever quarter violated. without COM
promise and at any cost. 1t invites
the practical cooperation of the i'm
peTial German government at this
time when cooperation may accomp-
lish most and this great common OBJ
ject be most strikingly and effectively
achieved
The imperial German government
expresses the hope that this object
may be in some measure accomplish
ed even before the present war ends
1t can be. The government of the
United States not only feels obliged to
insist upon it, by whomsOever violated
or ignored, in the protection Of it's
own citizens, but is also deeply inter-
ested in seeing it made practicable be
tween the belligerents themselves. and
holds itself ready at any time to act
as the common friend who may be
privileged 10 suggest q way
In the meantime the very -alue
which this government sets upon the
long and Unbroken friendship between
the people and government of the
United States and the peop.e and gov
1t to press very sOlemnly upon the
imperial German government the ne
cessity for a scrupUlous observance Of
neutral rights in this critical matter.
Friendship itself prompts it to saw
TO the imperial German government
that repetition by the commanders of
German naval vessels of acts in CON
traventiOn of these rights must be re-
garded by the government of the
United States. when they affect Amer
lean citizens, as deliberately unfriend-
~. LANSING.