The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-07-15
49, si4ss ii --e..
GERMAN REPLY
REACHES GERARD
Ships FLYING U. $. FLAGS WILL
: J.. NOT Pc ATTACKED.
PROTECT AMERICAN PASSENGERS
Willing to Let United States Place
More Vessels in PASSENGER Ser
vice if Needed, Providing They
-. Carry No contrabar1d.

perln IVA LOnQan), July liter
manys offer. embodied lin the reply
to the United States note regarding
the sinking of the Lusitania and sub
marine warfare, which was delivered
to James w Gerard the ambassador
last night, is: w.
First, reiterated assurance that
American ships engaged in Legitimate
trade will not be interfered with nor
the lives OF Americans upon neutral
ships be endangered. .-. "h
Second, that German submarines
win be Instructed to allow American
passenger ships to pass freely and
safely Germany entertaining In re
turn the confident hope that the
American government will see that
these ships do not carry contraba.hd;
such ships to be provided with dis,
tinguishing marks and their arrival
announced a reasonable time in ad
vance.
The same privilege is extended to
a reasonable number OF neutral pas.
senger Ships under the American flag
and should the number of ships thus
available for passenger service prove
Inadequate, Germany is willing TO
permit America to place four hostile
passenger steamers under the Ameri.
can flag to ply Between North Amer.
lea and Europe under the same con-
ditions. N'" ''' ~ '.' '"''
"'-.''' Text Of Reply.
Following is the text of the German
reply to the American note of June
10: ~ g g." 's'
o"Berlin, July S.-The undersigned
has the honor to make the following
feljiy to Ihisf exceliehcy, Ambassador
Gerard to the note Of the 10th 'ultimo
regarding the impairment OF Ameri-
can interests by German submarine
war. The imperial government
learned with satisfaction from the
note how earnestly the government
Of the United States Is concerned in
seeing the principles OF humanity
realized in the present war. Also this
appeal finds ready echo in Germany
and the imperial government is quite
willing to be governed by the princi-
ples OF humanity just as il has done
always. - - g..
THE imperial government welcom,
ed with gratitude when the American
government In the note or May Is IL
self recalled that Germany had al
ways permitted itself to be governed
by the principles of progress and hui
mainly i'm dealing with the law OF
maritime war.
Refers to Franklin Treaty.
Since the time when Frederick the
Great negotiated with John Adams,
Benjamin Franklin and Thomas JEFF
ferson the treaty of friendship and
commerce of Sept. 8, 1885, between
Prussia and the republic of the vest
German and American statesmen
have, in fact, always stood together
in the struggle for the freedom OF
the seas and for the protection OF
peaceable trade. In the interna.
tionai proceedings which since have
been conducted for the regulations OF
the law of maritime war Germany
and America have Jointly advocated
progressive principles, especially the
adjustment of the right OF capture al
sea and the protection OF the inter
ests of neutrals.
a"Even at the beginning OF the pres
ent war the German government i'm
ratify the declaration of London and
thereby subject itself in the use of
its naval forces to all the restrictions
provided therein in favor of neutrals.
Germany likewise has been always
tenacious OF the principle that war
should be conducted against the
armed and organized forces of an
enemy country, but that the civil pop
ulation must be spared as far as pos
sitae from the measures OF war. The
imperial government cherishes the
definiter hope that some way Will be
found when peace is concluded, or
nerhaps earlier, to regulate the law
Of maritime war in manner guaran'
facing the Freedom of the seas, and
will welcome it with gratitude ana
satisfaction If 1t can work mana III
hand with the American government
on that occasion. ''"
Denies Guilt.
'If in the present war the princi
pies which should be the ideal OF the
future have been traversed more and
more, the longer its duration, the
German government has no guilt
therein. ID is known to the American
government how Germany's adver-
saries, by complete paralyzing peace
able traffic between Germany and
neutral countries, have aimed from
the very beginning and with increas.
ed lack Of consideration at the de- |
struction, not so much OF the armed |
forces as the life OF the German ma
ton, repudiating in doing so all the
rules of international law and Jisre- |
GO "dinP all the rights OF neutrads.
ION November 8, 1915. England de.
clared the North sea a war area and
by planting poorly anchored mines
and by the stoppage and capture oil t
vessels made passage extremely dan
gerous and difficult for neutral ship
ping, thereby actually blockading
neutral casts and ports contrary to
all international law, Long before the
beginning of submarine war England
practically completely intercepted le.l
climate neutral navigation TO Ger.
many also. Thus Germany was driven |,
10 submarine war on trade.
Cites English Statement. |,
On NOV, IA. 1914. the English pre-.
nier declared in the house of COM
mons that it was one of Ensland's