Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-29
COUChED IN VERY
PLAIN LANGUAGE
Latest American Note to Ger
man Government.
BERLIN IS GIVEN WARNING
Future Sea Attacks ImperiIing Lives
of Americans Will Be Regarded
as "DeIiberateIy UnfriendIy."

American note to Germany regarding
submarine warfare is in part as fol-
lows:
The note Of the German imperial
government dated July S, 1915, has re-
ceived the careful consideration of
the government of the United States
and it regrets to be obliged to. say
that it has found it very unsatisfac-
tory because it fails to meet the real
difference between the two govern
ments and indicates no way in which
the accepted principles of law and hui
manity may be applied in the grave
matter in controversy, but proposes
to the contrary arrangements for a
partial suspension of those principles
which virtually set them aside.
The government Of the United
States is keenly disappointed to
find that the imperial German govern
ment regards itself as in large degree
exempt from the obligation to observe
principles Of international law even
where neutral vessels are concerned,
by what it believes the policy and
practice Of the government of Great
Britain to be in the present war with
regard to neutral commerce. The i'm
perlal German government will read
lily understand that the government
of the United States cannot discuss
the policy Of Great Britain with re-
gard to neutral trade except with that
government itself, and that it must
regard the conduct of other belliger-
ent governments as irrelevant to any
discussion with the imperial German
government OF what this government
regards as grave and unjustifiable
violations Of rights of American citi-
zens by German naval commanders.
Protests "indefensibIe" Acts.
Illegal and inhuman acts, however
j%ustitiable they may be thought to be
against n enemy who is believed to
have acted in cO~ntravention of law
and humanity, are manifestly indefen-
sible when they deprive neutrals of
their acknowledged rights, particular
ly when they violate the right of life
itself. If a b%elligerent cannot re-
taliate against an enemy without in
juring the lives of ~neutrals as we'll
as their property, humanity as we'll
as justice and a due regard for the
dignity of neutral powers, should die
tate that the practice be discontinued.
The government Of the United
States is not unmindful of the eXtraor-
binary conditions created by this war
or Of the radical alterations Of cir
cumstances and method of attack pro-
duced by the use of instrumentalities
of naval warfare which the nations
of the world cannot have had in view
when the existing rules of interna-
tional law were formulated and it is
ready to make every reasonable al
loWance for these novel and unex-
pected aspects of war at sea, but it
cannot consent to abate any essential
or fundamental rights of it's people
because Of a mere alteration of cir
cumstances. The rights of neutrals
in time OF wal are based upon prin-
ciples, not upon %eXpediency, and the
principles are immutable. It is the
duty and obligation of belligerents to
find a way to adapt the new circum-
stances to them.
Reparation and Disavowal Asked.
In view of the admissions OF ilie-
gality made by the imperial German
government when it pleaded the right
Of retaliation in defense of it's acts
and in view of the manifest possibility
OF conforming to the established rules
OF naval warfare, the government of
the United States cannot believe that
the imperial German government will
longer refrain from disavowing the
WantOn act OF a naval commander in
sinking the Lusitania or from offer
ing reparation for the American lives
lost, so far as reparation can be made
for a needless destruction of human
life by a illegal act.
"The government of the United
'tates will continue to contend for
freedom Of the seas, from whatever
quarter violated, without compro-
mise and at any cost. 1t. invites the
practical cooperation OF the imperial
German government at this time
when cooperation may accomplish
most.
'In the meantime the very value
which this government sets upon the
long and unbroken friendship between
the people and government OF the
United States and the people and
government Of the German nation i'm
pels it. to press very solemnly upon
the imperial German government the
necessity for a %scrupulous observance
Of neutral rights in this crucial mat
ter. Friendship itself prompts it to
say to the imperial German govern.
ment that repetition by the COM
manders Of German naval vessels of
acts in contravention Of those rights
must be regarded by the government
of the United States. when they affect
American citizens. as deliberately un.
friendly"