McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1915-07-16

dom of the seas and for the protec-
ton of peaceable trade.
"In the international proceedings
which since have been conducted for
the regulation of the laws of maritime
war Germany and America have joint
ly advocated progressive principles,
especially the adjustment of the right
of capture at sea, and the protection
of the interests of neutrals.
even at the beginning Of the pres
ent war the German government i'm
mediately declared its willingness, in
response to proposals of the American
government, to ratify the declaration
of London and thereby subject itself
in the use of its naval forces to all
the restrictions provided therein in IA
for 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 cher
ishes 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 guaran
teeing the freedom of the seas, and
will welcome it with gratitude and sat
isfaction If it can work hand and hand
with the American government on that
occasion.
'If in the present war the principles
which should be the ideal of the future
have been traversed more and more,
the longer its duration, the German
government has no guilt therein. It
is known to the American government
how Germany's adversaries, by COM
pletely paralyzing peaceable traffic be-
tween Germany and neutral countries,
have aimed from the very beginning
and with increasing lack of considera
ton at the destruction, not so much
Of the armed forces as the life of
the German nation, repudiating in do
ing so all the rules of international
law and disregarding all rights of neu
trails.
"On November 3, 1914, England de.
clared the North Sea a 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,
thereby actually blockading neutral
coasts and ports contrary to all inter-
national law. Long before the begin
ming Of submarine war England prac-
tically completely intercepted legiti-
mate neutral navigation to Germany
also. Thus Germanuy was driven to a
submarine war on trade.
"On November IA, 1914, the English
premier declared in the House of Com
mons that 1t was one of England's
principal tasks to prevent food for the
German population from reaching Ger
many via neutral ports. Since March
1 England has been taking from neu-
trail ships without further formality
all merchandise proceeding to Ger
many, as we'll as merchandise 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 perishing from
starvation with its women and chill
dren, or Of relinquishing its independ-
ence.
while our enemies thus loudly and
openly proclaimed without mercy our
utter destruction, we were conducting
war In self-defense for our national
existence and for the sake of peace of
an assured permanency. We have been
obliged to adopt submarine warfare
to meet the declared intentions of our
enemies and the methods 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 unresev-
eddy in its memorandum of February
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 |,
Is the sacred duty of the imperial gov
eminent to do all within its power to
protect and save the lives of German
subjects. II the imperial government
were derelict in these things, its du-
ties, 1t would be guilty before God and
history of the violation of these prin-
ciples Of highest humanity which are
the foundation Of every national ex-
istence.
1.-THE case of the Lusitania shows
with horrible clearness to what jeop.
ardizing Of human lives the manner of
conducting war employed by our ad-
versaries leads. In the most direct
contradiction Of international law, all
| distinctions between merchantmen
| and war vessels have been obliterated
by the order to British merchantmen
to arm themselves and to ram subma-
rines, and the promise of rewards
therefor, and neutrals who use mer-
| chantmen as travellers thereby have
been exposed in an increasing degree
to all the dangers of war.
III the commander of the German
submarine which destroyed the Lusi.
tania had caused the crew and passen-
gers to take boats before firing a tor
pedo this would have meant the sure
destruction of his own vessel. After
the experiences in sinking much small
GERMAN PRESS COMMENT.