The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-02-13
GERMANY B REASON |
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Places Responsibility For Ac,, (
on England. Declares British
Have Practical. i. Blockade.
Waters Surrounding British Isles
and Entire; English Channel
Area Of War:

The complete text Of the German
memorandum concerning the retalia-
tory measures to be taken against
England. made pub1ic-in Berlin Satur-
day night, places responsibility for
the measure on England. It is as fol-
lows:
''Since the beginning of the present
war. Great Britain has carried on a
mercantile war against Germany in
way that defles all Of the principles of
International law. 1t is true the Brit
ish government has announced in
number of DEGREES that the declara-
fare, is binding on her naval force,
but in reality she has renounced the
declaration in its most important par
ticulars. Although her own delegates
4 to the London conference on naval
warfare and recognized its conclu-
sions to be valid as international law,
the British government has put a.
number Of articles in the list of con-
traband which are not, or at most are
only indirectly useful for military
purposes, and therefore, according to
the London declaration, as we'll as
according to the universally recog-
nized rules of International law, may
not be designated as contra band.
! London Declaration Violated.
'Inasmuch as she has declared sub
ject to capture all articles of relative
contraband intended for Germany,
without reference to the harbor in
which they are to be unloaded or to
the hostile or peaceful uses to which
they are to be put, she does not hesi-
tate to violate the London declara-
ton, as her naval forces have seized
on neutral shores German property
that was not contraband, in violation
of her own DEGREES.
"She has further through her naval
forces, taken from neutral ships nu-
merous Germans liable to military
: service and has made of them prison
: ers Of war. Finally, she has declared
the entire North sea to be an area of
war, and, if she has not made impos-
: sible the passage of neutral shipping
Z through the sea between Scotland and
NoTWay.s she has rendered it so diff
y cuit and SO dangerous that She has to
a certain extent effected a blockade of
neutral coasts and neutral ports this
in violation Of international law.
Would Starve German Nation.
"These measures have the obvious
purpose, through the illegal paralyza-
tion of neutral commerce, not only to
strike at the German military strength
but also at the economic life of Ger
many, and, finally, through starvation
doom the entire population of Ger
many to destruction.
THE neutral powers have generally
acquiesced in the steps taken by the
British government, or at least they
have not succeeded in inducing the
British government to restore the Ger.
man individuals and property seized in
. violation of international law In Ger.
tain directions they have also aided
= the British measures. which are IRE.
concilable with the freedom of the
sea, in that they have obviously, unde,
the pressure of England; hindered by
> export and transit embargoes the
transit of wares for peaceful purposes
to Germany The German government
:, has in vain called the attention oil
neutral powers to the fact that II
must face the question of whether il
can longer .persevere in it's strict OBJ.
servance of the rules of the declara-
: tion of London if Great Britain is tc
continue it's present course and the
= neutral powers are to continue tc
!. acquiesce in the violation of neutrality
to the detriment of Germany.
J Germany Must Retaliatc.
: For her violations of international
law, Great Britain pleads the vital in.
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