The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-07-15
GERMAN REPLY REACHES
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS
American Ships Engaged in Legitimate Trade
Will Not Be lntefered With Nor Lives
j. on Neutral Ships Endangered.

u,
dating in doing SO all the rules of
international law and disregarding all
rights of neutrals.
ON November 8, 1914, England de-
clared the North Sea a war area and
by planting poorly anchored mines
ana by the stoppage and capture Of
vessels made passage extremely dan
Scrous and difficult for neutral ship
ping, so tby?) that actually blockad-
ins neutral coasts and ports contrary
to all international law. Long before
the beginning of submarine war Eng
land practically completely intercept
cd legitimate neutral navigation to Ger
many also. Thus Germany was driven
TO submarine war on trade. On No
vcmber IA, 1911, the English Premier
declared i'll the House of Commons
that il was one Of England's principal
tasks TO prevent food for the German
population from reaching Germany
VIA neutral ports. Since March /
England has been taking from neutral
shipS without further formaiity all
merchandise proceeding to Germany
as wc!l as all merchandise com.
ing from Germany, even when neu-
tral property Just as it was also with
the Beers. the German people is now
TO be given the choice of perishing
from starvation With its women and
children or Of relinquishing its inde.
pcndence.
"Whlc our enemies thus loudly
and openly proclaimed without mercy
until our utter destruction, we were
conducting war in selfdefense for
our national existence and for the
sake OF peace of an assured perma-
money. We have been obliged to
adopt submarine warfare to meet
the declared intentions of our enc
mics and the methods of warfare adop
ted by them in contravention of inter
national law.
! with all it's efforts in principle
10 protect neutral life and property
from damage as much as possible. the
German government recognized unre-
SerVcdly IN its memorandum OF Feb
rnary 4 that the interest OF ncutrals
might suffer from the submarine war.
fare However the American gov.
nrori,to ,ha, "nu,,'t"ii" ana ap-
which has bopn forcod uno, Cnn,,l.,,
! bN us ddvcrSariCS and announced nv
! 'lem ii is the sacred duty OF tho I'M
perial Government TO do all within i,
power to protect and save tho livoc
Oh German subjects. If the Imnorial
government worn dor,,io, =, .'''
duties il wo,,Id no MIMI, 80
ana history of 10 ,,inia,io w"
princinIo. or hi,,l,o, VI t'!oHe
are ,hc found,.ion 80 ""'cH
existence 'oi'"'
..r,,
r.;,,, ,,, ~ '"e ''"S'tahla shows
ardiy;m,, .,''I ,'c''''',SS TO what jcop-
nr ,,, ~ l'''''"" '''eS me manner
od,.an,. var c"'PIoNed by our
rnr,rnd,., !" nc most direct
al, di'.,;. "n'eiha''onal law,
,nd '1"''2 "t'"eei merchantmen
,,,, nav oeeh oblltratcd
~ ,.n :" n'''lSh hlcrchantmen
% ana 10 ram Subma-
i,nuo,a ,''e pio','Se OF rewards
chantmcn ne traro,an. VIZ use lhcr-
been eynosod ~ on ;,>. i nave
to all tho danenrs ., N.Y.. "eSrec
arc ~,
.,h,.i, 'i''"ci vi me German
,.ni, raa '''"sea me Lusi-
,,a,.'. 'i1 ''e" ana paSsen-
, tnaao ~; no"'' ociore hrlhg
.rro do.tn,,t,o r'u '"'e meant me
,,tor Az ,,,a no o"h vessel
,,,oi, III SINKING
snIs {, was 80 ha ~ 90" WI 'ns yes
,ni,,ht,, shi, ~. poD." 'h"'
s rannt, aha 49, nv .ne LuSit"li' would
roman above water long enough even
anr. "o 49, p1uons t,'n ah5 ~ permit passen-
Q W e''.ei 'ho 'hip noaIs' Clrcum-