The Penn's Grove record., 1915-07-16
GERMANY, IN NEW NOTE, PLEDGES
PROTECTION IF SHIPS UNDER u. S.
FLAG TRANSPORT NO CONTRABAND
FULL TEXT OF CFRMANYS
REPLY TO THE UNITED STATES

Berlin.-The undersigned has the
honor to make the following reply
to his Excellency Ambassador Gerard
to the note of the 10th ultimo re the
impairment of American interests by
the German submarine war:
The Imperial Government learned
with satisfaction from the note how
earnestly the Government of the
United States is concerned in seeing
the principles Of humanity realized in
the present war. Also this appeal
finds ready echo In Germany, and the
Imperial Government is quite willing
to permit it's statements and decisions
In the present case to be governed by
the principles of humanity just as it
has done always.
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 hui
mainly in dealing with the law of
maritime war.
Since the time when Frederick the
Great negotiated with John Adams,
Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas JEFF
ferson the Treaty of Friendship and
Commerce of Sept. 9, 1885, between
Prussia and the Republic of the West,
German and American statesmen
have, in fact, always stood together in
the struggle for the freedom of the
seas and for the protection of peace
able trade.
In the international proceedings
which since nave been conducted for
TIC EcguIaCIou On Cue Iaws VI Iu@.sln1v
war, Germany and America have joint
ly advocated progressive principles,
especially the adjustment of the
right of capture at sea and the pro-
S0CIlOu VI LuS 1uLCI0 6tS VI AOQll III
Even at the beginning of the present
war the German Government imme-
diately declared it's willingness, in re-
sponse to proposals of the American
Government, to ratify the Declaration
Of London and thereby subject itself
In the use of it's naval forces to all
the restrictions provided therein in
favor of neutrals.
Germany likewise has been always
tenacious of the principle that war
should be conducted against the
armed and organized forces of an
enemy country, but that the enemy
civilian population must be spared
as far as possible from the measures
OF war. The Imperial Government
cNerishes the definite hope hat
some way will be found when
peace is concluded, or perhaps
earlier, to regulate the law of mari
time war in a manner guaranteeing
the freedom of the seas, and will well
come it with gratitude and satisfac-
ton If it can work hand in hand with
the American Government on that oc-
casion.
II in the present war the principles
which should be the ideal OF the fu-
ture have been traversed more n
more, the longer it's duration, the Ger
man Government has no guilt therein.
It Is known to the American Govern
ment how Germany's adVersaries, by
completely p~aralyzing ~peaceable ira
fc between Germany and neutral
countries, have aimed from the very
beginning and with increasing lack OF
consideration at the destruction no
so much of the armed forces as the
life of the German nation, repudiating
in doing so all the rules Of interna-
tional law and disregarding all rights
Of neutrals.
On Nov. 3, 1914, England declared
the North Sea a war area, and by
planting poorly anchored mines and
by the stoppage and capture OF ves-
sells, made passage extremely danger
GUS and difficult for neutral shipping,
thereby actually blockading neutral
coasts and ports contrary to all in