The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-04
GERMANY WILLING C
TO AID SHIPPING BY
NEUTRALS IF
ALLIES WILL
Official Text Of German Reply
to American Note Is Re-
ceived and Is Of an Agree
able Nature.
WOULD RESTRICT USE
OF FLOATING MINES
Would Also Not Use Submar-
ines to Attack Vessels Fly
ing Neutral Flag, But Enc
mics Must Back Of, Too.

Washington. March 4.--'rhe official
text Of the German governments re-
ply t. the American note suggesting
that Germany and Great Britain
agree on a plan 10 lessen danger 90
neutral shipments tu the war zone
was made puulic here today.
Il follows.
"rhe imperial German government
has taken note with great interest OF
the suggestion of the American gov
ornment that certain principles for
the conduct Of maritime war on the
part of Germany and England be
agreed upon for the protection of
ncutral shipping. They see therein
new evidence Of the friendly feelings
| OF the American government towards
the Germnn government. which are
tully regipruratcd hy Germany
1T b. IN accordance with Ger
many's wishes also TO have maritime
/ war conducted according To- rules
/ which, without discriminatcly re-
striCting one ur the other uf the bell
iirrront ruwoi- in the use of their
means OF warfare. are equally ,uusid-
crate OF the interests Of ncutrais aud
/ Che dictates OF humanity. Conse-
| pucuUly 10 was lutimatcd In the Ger
man notes 81 the sixteenth instant
/ that observation uf IA. declaration uf
/ London on the part uf Gcrmauy's adj
N"r-arlos would create "a ncw situu-
tion from which the German govern
Woni gladly would draw the proper
/ conclusions.
Proceeding from this view IN,
/ German government have carefully
/ examined the suggestion of IA,
| American government and bcliey,
/ that thvJ can actually see IN b u
suitable basis for the practical solu-
tion of the questions which have
| arisen
With regard Co the various point,
] OF the American note they beg 1,
make the following remarks;
/ First. with regard To the sowinl
! uf mines, the German government
would be willing to agree as suggest.
! ed not tu use floating mines ana {,
have anchored mines constructed as
I indicated. More over. they agree 1,
! put the stamp of the government or
all mines tu hc planted ON th,
/ other hand, II does not appear {,
them tu be feasible for the belligcr,
ents wholly 90 forcgo the use Of an
chorcd mines FOR offensive, however
Second. the German government
would undertake not to use their srb.
marines To- attack mercantile vessels
of q neutral flag except when neccs,
snry TO enforce the right of visit and
| search should the enemy national
! ity uf the vessel or the presence al
Contraband bc asccrtniucd, suhma,
Tines would proceed In accordance
with tho general rules of information
al law
Third. as provided In the Amer
lean note, this restriction of the us'
of the submarines is contingent ~
the fact that enemy mercantile yes
sells abstain from the use of the ncu
trnl flag and other neutral distinc
tive marks. II would appear To- b'
a matter of course that such mcrcan
tile vessels also abstain from urminl
themselves ana from an resistance
by force. since such procedure con
trary To international law would rcn
der impossible any action OF the sub
marines In accordance with interna
national law.
fhNiNNs lIt lfkNihAiNU hi lfkNl
mate importatiuns of food into Ger
many suggested by the Amcricai
government appears Co Doc ir genera
acceptable. Such regulation would
of course. Doe confined to Importation
hy sca, but that would on the othe
hand include indirect impurtatiuns o.
way of neutral ports. The Germa
government would, therefore. he will
ing To make the declarations uf IN
nature provided In the America
note, sn that the use OF the importc
food ana fuodstuffs solely by the non
cumh1tnut population would bc guar
nntcod The imperial guvcrnuicn
must however In addition. ompha
size having the importation of othe
! raw material used hy the cconomi
system of nou-cumhntunts, inoludin
forage permitted Tu that end th
enemy governments would have {
permit the free entry into German
at the raw material mentioned in th
free list of the declaration of Lon
don, ana tp treat materials include
(Cuntinucd on Face Two,)