The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-07-10
The text follows


THE undersigned has the honor TO
nuke the following reply 10 his excel
lency. Ambassador Gerard, to the note
Of the tenth uItimu, re- the Impairment
of American interests by the German
submarine war The imperial govern.
meut lrnrurd with satisfaction from
the note how earnestly the govern
ment uf the luitrd States Is con
ccrupd I'm seeing the principles of hu
muuity realized IN the present war.
Also this appeal finds reudy echo IN
Germany aud the imperial government
Is quite willing tu permits It's state.
meuts and decisions In the present
case To be- governed by the principles
NJ humanity just ms It hnS done al
ways
"lhc Imperial government wei.
comed with gratitude when the Ameri.
can government In the note uf May TO-
Itself recalled that Germany had al.
ways permitted Itself to be- governed
hy the principles " progress and hu-
manity IN dealing with the law Of
maritime war Since the time when
Frederick the Great negotiated with
John Adams Benjamin Franklin and
Thomas jefferson the treaty " friend
ship aud commerce ~ September 81
1888 between Prussia and the repuh
lie ~ the west German aud American
statesmen have In fact always stood
together I'm the struggle for the free
dom u the seas aud for the protection
~ prncpnhlr trade In the iutcrna
/ tional proceedings which since have
been conducted for the regulation ~
tM laws and maritime war, Germany
aud America have Jointly advocated
progressive principles especially the
nbolishmcnt ~ the right ~ capture nj
sca aud the protection ~ the interests
~ neu.rals
Even ut the beginning Of the pres
ent war the German government i'm
medlately declared its willingness In
response to proposals ~ the American
| government 10 rntlfy the declaration of
London aud thereby subject itself In
the use ~ It's naval forces TO all the
restrictions provided therein I'm favor
NJ ucutuls. Germany likewise has
been always tenacious ~ the principle
i'ut war should be- conducted against
the armed and organized forces ~ any
enemy country, but that the enemy
civilian population mus, be- spared n'
far us possible from the measures oi
war The imuerin government cher
ishr- the definite hope that some way
win be- found when peace Is couclud
ed or perhaps earlier 10 regulate the
law of maritime war In manner
guaranteeing the freedom " the seas
aud will welcome II with gratitude and
satisfaction II II can work hand In
hand with the American government
on that occasion
d" In the present war the principles
which should be- the ideul of the future
have been truycrscd more and more
the longer H., Duration the German
government has no guilt therein II
IS known 10 the American government
how German, adycrsuries by com
plrtely paralyzIng peacenble traffic
between Germany and neutral cOun
tries. have aimed from the very be-
ginning mud with increasing lack Of
consideration at the destruction moi
SO much VI the armed forces M the
life ~ the German nation, repudlat
Ing In doing so all the rules of inter
national law and disrrgardiug ull ia,
rights ana ncutrals
"On November 3, 1914, England de
clNred the North SEA war aren ant
planting roorly anchored mines anc
by the stoppage and capture " vessels
made passage extremely dangerous
/, aud difficult Tor neutral shipping b.,
TINT. actually hIockadlng neutrn
coasts aud ports contrary to all inter
national law Long before the begin
ming " submarine warfare Englant
practically lncompletely lntercepte,
legitimate neutral navigation to Ger
many also Thus Germany was driver
to submarine war on trade.
ION November II 1914, the Englisl
premier declared In the house of com
mons that It was one uf England'i
principal tasks To prevent food for III,
German population from reaching Ger
many via neutral ports Since Marcl
/ England has been taking from neu
. trnl ships without further formnlit!
an merchandise proceeding to Ger
mnny as we'll as all merchandise com
INK frum Germany, even when neutra
property Just as II wns also witt
the Beers the German people IL now 4
be given the chole Of perishing From
, starvation with lts women and chll
dren or NJ rellnQdShlng lts indcpend
encc.
white our enemies thus loudly ant
openly proclaimed war without mere
until our utter destruction we wer'
conducting war In self-defense ~
our national existence and FOR the snk
~ peace NJ an assured Iermanency
We have been obliged 10 adopt n sub
marine warfare tO meet the declares
intention NJ our enemies aud the meth
od " warfare adopted by them In con
trnventlor NJ International law.
/, 'With nll liz efforts In principle l.
| protect neutral lie and property frou
/ damage ~ much as possible the GeI
. man government recognized unrescrN
1 edly IN lts memorandum NJ February
y that the interests VI neutrals Nigh
4 suffer from the submarine wnrfar,
. However, the American governmen
. win also understand and appreclat
that In the fighting for existence whic
A. has been forced upon Germany by II
adyersarles and announced By them