The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1915-07-24

H"fSi hCdu uote W OtIHihhy feS"iu"e
THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO
AMBASSADOR GERARD.
Department Of State. Washington.
July q, 1915.
You are instructed to deliver textu-
ally the following note to the Minister
Tor Foreign Affairs;
The note OF the Imperial German
Government dated the sth of July.
1915, has received the careful consid-
GRAFTON OF the Government Of the
United States. and Il regrets to be
Obliged TO cay that II has found u
very unsatisfactory, because u fails
to meet the real differences between
che two Governments and indicates
no way In which the accepted prinei-
p,ss Of law and humanity may
be applied in the grave matter in con-
trovsrsy. but proposes. on the con-
trary. arrangements for q partial sus-
pension Of those principles which vir-
tuAlly Sci tnefn dSlut.
The Government OF the United
states notes with satisfaction that the
Imperial German Government recog-
mixes without reservation the validity
OF the principles insisted on in the
several communications which this
Government has addressed to the Inn
perial German Government with re-
gard to It's announcement of q war
zone and the use Of submarines
against merchantmen on the high
seas--the principle that the high seas
are free, that the character and cargo
Of q merchantmen must hrst be ascer-
tanned before she can lawfully be
seized or destroyed, and that the lives
OF non. com batants may In no case be
put In jeopardy unless the vessel re-
sists or seeks to escape after being
summoned to submit to examination /;
for O belligerent act OF retaliation Ia
per se an act beyond the law, and the
defense OF an act as retaiiatory IL an
admission that II v Illegal.
RETALIATION NO EXCUSE FoR
hARMiN0 NEuTRAlS.
Tho Government Of the United
States Is, however. keenly disap-
pointed to md that the Imperial Ger
man Government regards itself as In
large degree exempt from the obliga-
ton to observe these principles. ever
whore neutral vessels are concerned
by what 1t believes the policy and
praotice of the Government Of Great
Britain 20 be in the present war With
regard to neutral commerce.
Tho Imperial German Government
will readily understand that the Gov
eminent of the United States canno
discuss the policy of the Government
Of Great Britain with regard to neu'
trsa trade except with that Govern.
ment itself, and that 1t must regart
the conduct of other belligerent Gov
ernmsnts as irrelevant to any dis.
cussion with the Imperial Germax
Government Of what this Government
regards a. grave and untustinabla
violations Of the rights Of Americas
citissns by German naval Com
manders.
lseRal and inhuman acts, howsve
Unstable they may be thought to b
againa an enemy who ID believed u
have acted IN oontravention OF law
ana humanity. are manifestly inds
fensible when they deprive neutral
Of thsir Acknowledged rights. par
ticularay when they vioiahs the rislh
10 Me itsslf
" Q bsIDiasrsnt cannot rsta'iat
AGAINST an enemy without injurin
the Hvss Of nsutrals, a. we'll - thsi
prspsrty, humanity, ~ we'll ~ justie
and . due regard for the dignity o
nsstrai powers, should dictate the
the practice BE- diseentinusd. " per
sjstsd In Il would In such oirouu
stances constitute ~ unpardonsbI
eMsnss against the sovsrsionty Of tn