The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-07-15
GERMANY's NOTE
DIsTURBs WILSON
Continued from Page 81

tional law and disregarding all the
rights Of neutrals.
On Nov. 8, 1914, England declared
the North sea war area and by
planting poorly anchored mines and
by the stoppage and capture OF yes
sells made passage extremely danger
Gus and difficult for neutral shipping,
SO (by?) that action blockading neu.
trail. coasts and ports contrary to all
international law. Long before the
submarine war, England practically
completely intercepted legitimate neu.
trail navigation to Germany also. Thus
Germany was driven to a submarine
war on trade.
On Nov. IA, 1914, the English pre-
mier declared in the House Of Com
mons that it was one Of England's
principal tasks to prevent food for the
German population, from reaching Ger
many, via neutral ports. Since
March ! England has been taking
from neutral ships, without further
formality, all merchandise proceeding
to Germany, as well as all merchan-
disc coming from Germany, even when
neutral property. Just as it was also
with the Beers, the German people
is now to be given the choice of per-
fishing from starvation with it's women
and children or to relinquish its
independence.
While our enemies thus loudly and
openly proclaim war without mer-
cy until our utter destruction, we were
conducting war in self-defense for
our national existence and for the
sake of peace Of an assured perman-
ency. We have been obliged to adopt
q submarine warfare to meet the de-
clared intentions Of our enemies and
the method of warfare adopted by
them in cOntravention Of international
law.
With all it's efforts in principle to.
protect neutral life and property from
damage as much as possible, the Ger
man government recognized unreserv-
eddy in it's memorandum of Feb. 4,
that the interests of neutrals might
suffer from the submarine warfare
However, the American government
will also understand and appreciate
that in the fight for existence which
has been forced upon Germany by its
adversaries and announced by them
it is the sacred duty of the imperial
government to do all within it's power
to protect and save the lives Of Ger
man subjects. If the imperial GOV
eminent were .derelict in these, its du-
ties, it would be guilty before God and
history of the violation Of those prin-
ciples Of highest humanity which are
the foundation Of every national exis-
tence.
The case Of the Lusitania shows
with horrible clearness to what jeop-
ardizing Of human lives the manner
Of conducting war by our adversarles
leads. In the most direct contradlc-
ton OF international law, all distinc-
lions between merchantmen and war
vessels have been obliterated by the
order to British merchantmen to arm
themselves and to ram submarines,
and the promise of rewards therefor,
and neutrals who use merchantmen
E as travellers thereby have been expos
ed in an increasing degree to all the
dangers of war.
sIf the commander Of the German
submarine which destroyed the Lusi.
tania had caused the crew and passen-
gers to take to the boats before firing
4 torpedo, this would have meant the
sure destruction Of his own vessel
After the experiences in sinking
much smaller and less seaworthy yes
sells. it was to be expected that q
mighty ship like the Lusitania would
remain above water long enough even
after the torpedoing to permit pas
sengers to enter the ships boats. Cir
cumstances Of a very peculiar kind
especially the presence on board o.
large quantities Of highly explosive
materials defeated this expectation.
In addition. it may be pointed out
that if the Lusitania had been spared
thousands of cases Of munitions would
have been sent to Germany's enemies
and thereby thousands Of German
mothers and children robbed Of bread
winners.
IN the spirit Of friendship where
with the German nation has been i'm
bued toward the United States ant
it's inhabitants since the earliest day.
OF it's existence, the imperial govern
ment will always be ready to do all !
can during the present war to pre-
vent the jeopardizing Of lives Of Amer
lean citizens. The imperial govern
ment, therefore, reports the assuranc