Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-07-14
THE GERMAN ( NOTE
Berlin, Germany, July s, 10

The. GERMAN NOTE. n
Berlin, Germany, July 8, 1915.
The undersigned has the honor to
make the following reply to His Elk
cellency, Ambassador Gerard to the
10th ultimo regarding the impairment
of American. interests by the Ger,
man submarine war The imperial
government learned with satisfaction
from tn, ncte hcw earnestly the gov.
ernnent OF the United States is
conce1ned in seeing the principles OF
humanity realized in the present war
Also this appeal finds ready echo in
Germany and the imperial govern.
ment is quite willing to permit its
statements and decisions in the pres
:ent case to be governed by the prin--
ciples $cf humanity just as it has
done always; Z" s5s5 , I. .;#.t
II American Statement Gratifying.
The imperial government welcomed
with gratitude when the American
government, in the note Of May Is,
itself recalled that Germany had al
ways permitted itself to be governed
by the principles Of progress and
humanity in dealing witl>the law OF
maritime war. Since the time when
Frederick TIE Great negotiated with
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and
Thomas Jefferson the treaty Of
friendship and commerce of Sept.
g., 1855, between Prussia and s the
republic of sthe west, Germany and
American statesmen have, in fact,
always stood together in the strug-
gle for freedom Of the seas and
for the protection of peaceable trade.
In the international proceedings,
which since have been conducted for
the regulation Of the laws Of mari
time war, Germany and America have
Jointly advocated progressive prin-
ciples, especially the adjustment of
the right of capture at sea and the
protection of the interests of neu-
trails 2:.2 f", vi Ss 4.
Willing to Obey the Law.
Even at the beginning Of the pres
ent war. the German government i'm
declared its willingness In
response to proposals Of the Amer
lean government, to, ratify the decla-
ration Of London and thereby subject
itself in the use of it's naval forces
to all the restrictions provided there
in in favor of neutrals. Germany,
likewise, has been always tenacious
of the principle that war should be
conducted against the armed and Or
ganized forces of an enemy coun-
try, but that the enemy civilian pop
ulation must be spared as far as
possible from the measures Of war.
The imperial government cherishes
the definite hope that some way will
be found when peace is concluded or,
perhaps earlier, to regulate the law
of maritime war in manner guar
anteeing the freedom of the seas,
and will welcome it with gratitude
and satisfaction if it can work hand
in hand with the American govern
ment on that occasion. f.
Germany Not Guilty.
If in the present war the principles
which should be the ideal Of the
future have been traversed more and
more, the longer it's duration, the
German government has no guilt
therein. 1t is known to the Ameri-
can government how Germany's ad-
versaries by completely paralyzing
peaceable traffic between Germany
and neutral countries, have aimed
from the very beginning and with
increasing lack of consideration at
the destruction not so much of the
armed forces as the life Of the Ger
man nation repudiating in doing so
all the rules of international law
and disregarding all the rights of
neutrals.
ION Nov. 8, 1914, England de-
clared the North Sea war area
and by planting poorly an
chored mines and by the stop
page and capture of vessels
made passage extremely dan
gerous and difficult for neutral ship
ping, so actually blockading neutral
coasts and ports contrary to all in
ternational law. Long before the be-
ginning of the submarine war, Eng
land practically completely intercept
ed legitimate neutral navigation to
Germany also. Thus Germany was
driven to a submarine war on trade.
Cite Announced Purpose of England.
ION November IA, 1914, the Eng
lish premier declared in the house
of commons that it was one of Eng
lands principal tasks to prevent
food for the German population from
reaching Germany via neutral ports.
Since March l, England has been
taking from neutral ships without