Evening star., 1915-06-13
Demands on Germany
Bryan Approved and Later
Ones He Declined to Sign
Extracts From Note Bryan Did sigr

E4LraCLS ETO" NOtc Dry Ill OAo 9AS A'
"Acts Of the German authorities in
violation Of American rights ON the
high seas which illuminated in the tor
pedOing by which over 1O0
American citizens lost their Hives. 1t Ia
clearly wise> and desirable that the
government Of the United States and
the imperial government should come
to a clear and full understanding g
= constitute a series of events
which the government Of the United
states has observed with growing con-
cern. distress and amazement.
"The United States has been
apprised that the imperial German
government considered themselves to
he Obliged by the extraordinary cir
cumstances of the present war and
the measures adopted by their adver-
saries in seeking to cut Germany on
from all commerce to adopt methoos
Of retaliation which go much DeSono
the ordinary methods Of warfare AZ
sea. in the proclamation of war zone
from which they have warned ne"trai
ships to keep away"
Strict Accounta bility.
'sThia government cannOt au
init the adoption of such measures OF
such a warning of danger to operate
az In any degree an nbbreviatfon OF
the rights of American shipmasters or
Of American citizens bound on lawful
errands 1t must hold the Inn
perial German government to a st1ct
accountability for any infringement OF
those rights, Intentional or incidental.
- Germany's present method OF
attack against the trade Of their Ger
man's) enemies lies In the practical Inn
possibility of employing submarines In
the deatructi0n of commerce without dis
regarding those rules of fairness, rea-
son, justice and humanity which all
modern opinion regards a. imperative.
Mnnifestly submarines cannot
be used against merchantmen, aa the
last few weeks have shown, without
an inevitable violation of many sacred
principles Of justice and humanity.
American Rights at Sea.
.American citizens act within their
indisputabIe rights In taking their
ships and In travelling wherever their
legitimate business calls them upon
the high seas, and exercise those rights
in what should he the well justified
confidence that their lives will not be
endangered by acts done in clear vio-
ternatiOnal obligations, and certainly
in the confidence that their own gov
ernment will sustain them in the exer-
else of their rights.
"NO warning that an unlaw-
full and inhumnn net will he committed
can possibly be accepted as an excuse
or palliatiOn for that act or as an
abatement of the responsibility for Its
cOmmissiOn.'
.eThe United States cannot
believe that the commanders of the
vessels which committed these acts of
lawlessness did no except under a mis-
apprehension Of the orders ISSUED by
the imperial German naval authOrf-
ties.-
The United States expects that Ger
many Twill take immediate steps to
prevent the recurrence Of anything no
obviously subversive of the principles
Of warfare for which the imperial Ger
man government have In the past so
wisely and 80 firmly cOntended.
'ExpressiOns of regret and offers of
reparation In case of the destruction
of neutral ships sunk by mistake, while
they may satisfy International Obliga-
tiOna, If no loss of life results, cannot
Justify or excuse practice. the natural
and necessary effect of which is to sub
ject neutral nations and neutral per-
1.-THE imperial German government
United States to omit any word or any
act necessary to the performance Of it's
sacred duty of maintaining the rights
of the United States and it's citizens
and of safeguard riding their free exercise
and enjoyment"