Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-07-24
The Official Text Of Note.
~ accordance Wlth inItrha

The Official Text Of Note.
The following j. the official text Of the
note that l. now IN the hands of the I'm
iperial German Government M Berlin:
The Secretary of State To Ambassador
Gerard:
You are instructed To deliver textualIy
the following note to the Minister of For
eien Affairs:
"The note oi the Imperial German Gov
.crnment dated the Sth Of July. 1915 has
received the careful consideration If the
Government NJ the United States. and IL
regrets II be- obliged 10 say that j. has
found Il very unsatisfactory. because il
fails 10 meet the real differences between
the two Governments and indicates no way
IN which the accepted principles of law
and humanity may be applied in the grave
matter IN controversy but proposes. on the
contrary, arrangements for partial ~u~-
pension ot these principles which virtual
~ sets them aside
The Government of tie United state,
notes with satisfaction that the imparia
German Government recognizes without RI
-ervation the validity of the principles I'LL
sisted upon IN the ~e.eral communications
this Government has addressed 10 the I'M,
peral German Government with regard Ia
It> announcement of Il wa. zone and the
use of submarines against merchantmen
on the high sea>-the principle that the
high seas are free: that the character and
cargo Of q mcrchanman must first he as
ccrtained before ~he can lawfully d. ~riz-
rd or destroyed. and that the lives uf non
rombaiant~ may IN no ease b. put IN leo
pardy unless the vessel rcSi~t~. or seek
10 escape after being summoned Ia sub
mt 10 examination; for helligcrent act
nf retaliation j.. per - an act beyond the
law. and the defense of an act n retalia-
tory l. an admission that il i illegal
The government of the United States j..
however keenly disappointed to find that
the Imperial German Government regards
itself A. in large degree exempt from the
obligation 10 observe those principles. even
where neutral vessels are concerned bv
what il believes the policy and practice of
the government MI Great Britain to be
III the present war with regard to neutral
commerce
THE Imperial German government will
readily understand that the Government of
the United States cannot discuss the policy
the Government of Great Britain with
regard To neutral trade except with that
government itself. and that it must regard
the conduct of other belligerent govern
ment~ n irrelevant To any discussion with
the Imperial German Government of what
this Government regards n grave and IN
iu~tifiable violations of the right, Of Amer
lean citizens by German naval command
er~ Illegal and inhuman acts. however
iu>tIiahle they may Dc thought To be.
against an enemy who l. believed 10 have
acted in contravention OF law and human
ity. are maniteStly indeiensible when they
deprive neutralS of their acknowledged
rights. particularly when they violate the
right To live itself. If belhgerent can
not retaliate against an enemy without
iniuring the lives OF nerurals a well a.
'h'tf property humanity II wen n justice
ami due regard for the dignity of neu-
trail powers should dictate that the practice
~ tt'Scontinued
III persisted III il would under such
circumstances constitute an objectionable
ofien~e against the sovereignty of the neu-
tra nation affected.
.The Government of the United States
is not unmindful of the extraordinary con
ditions created by this war. of the radical
alterations of circumstances and method
of attack produced by the use of instru-
mentalities of naval warfare which the Nh !
tion~ Of the world cannot have had il view
when the existing rules Of International
laws were formulated, and it is ready u