Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-22

The American note which had been
finally written by President Wilson,
had been sent by Secretary Bryan to
Count Won Bernstorff. who transmitted
it to the German Foreign Office. The
reply is regarded here as a carefully
the United States and it is believed
will clear up any doubt that may have
existed as TO that position.
Text of Message
The text of the note follows
Excellency: l have given Thoughtful
consideration OF your ENcellency's of
the +th of April. 1915. inclosing a
memorandum OF the same date, in
which Your ENcellency discusses the
action of this government with regard
to trade between the United States and
Germany and the attitude of this gov
ernment with regard to the eXporta-
tion of arms from the United States to
the nations now at war with Ger
many.
l must admit that l am somewhat at
a loss how to interpret Your FIX
cellency's treatment of these matters.
There are many circumstances con-
nected with the important subjects to
which l have been expected Your EX-
cellenCy to advert, but of which you
make no mention, and there are other
circumstances to which YOU do refer
which l would have supposed to be
hardly appropriate for discussion be-
tween the government of the United
States and the Government of Ger
many.
l shall take the liberty, therefore,
of regarding Your EXcellency's refer
enCes to the course pursued by the
government OF the United States with
regard 10 interferences with trade from
this country. such as the government
OF Great Britain has attempted, as in
ton Tod sff.f nj
the situation to which you desire to
call our attention, and not as an in
vitation to discuss that course. Your
EXcellenCy's long experience in inter-
national affairs will have suggested to
you that the relations OF the two gov
ernments with one another cannot
wisely be made a subject of discussion
with a third government. which can
not be fully informed as to the facts,
and which cannot be fully cogniZant
of the reasons for the course pursued.
believe, however. that l am justified
in assuming that what you desire TO
call forth is a frank statement of the
position of this government in regard
To its obligations as a neutral power.
The general attitude and course of
policy of this government in the main
tenance of its inquiry | am particular
ly anxious that Your EXcellency should
see in their true light. I had hoped
ludl lllS government y pOSlIlOn IN
these respects had been made abun-
dainty clear, but l am, of course, per-
fectly willing 10 state il again. This
seems 10 me the more necessary and
desirable, because, I regret to say, the
language which Your EXcellency EN-
ploys in your memorandum is suscepti-
BILE of being construed as inpugning the
good faith of the United States in the
performance OF its duties as a neutral.
l take il for granted that no such im-
plication was intended, but il is evil
dent that Your EXcellency is laboring
under certain false impressions that /
cannot be too explicit in setting forth
the facts as they are when fully re-
viewed and comprehended.
In the first place, this government
has al no time and in no manner yield
ed any one OF its rights as a neutral
to any one of the present billigerents.
In the second place, this govern
ment attempted to secure from the
German and British governments mu-
tual concessions with regard to the
measures those governments respec-
lively adopt for the interruption OF
trade on the high seas This 1t did,
not OF right. but merely as exercising
the privileges of a sincere friend OF
both parties and as indicating its i'm
partial good will. The attempt was
unsuccessful: but l regret that Your
EXcellency did not deem 1t worthy of
mention in modification OF the impress
sions you expressed.