Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-10


as far as possible from the measures Of
war. The Imperial Government cherishes
the definite hope that some way will be
found, when peace is concluded, or per-
haps earlier, to regulate the law OF mari
time war in a manner guaranteeing the
freedom OF the seas, and will welcome
1t with gratitude and satisfaction n II
can work hand in hand with the Ameri-
can Government on that occasion.
GERMANY NOT GUILTY.
"If, in the present war, the principles
which should be the ideal Of the future
have been traversed more and more, the
longer It's duration. the German Govern
ment has no guilt therein. 1t is known
to the American Government how Ger
many's adversaries, by completely para
Lying peaceful traffic between Germany
and neutral countries, have aimed from
the very beginning and with Increasing
lack of consideration at the destruction,
not so much of the armed forces as the
life of the German nation, repudiating,
in doing so, all the rules of international
law and disregardlng all rights OF neu-
trails.
"On November 9, 1914, England declared
the North Sea a war area, and by plant
ing poorly-anchorsd mines and by the
stoppege and capture Of vessels made
passage extremely dangerous and diff
cult for neutral shipping (soO by (that7)
actually blockading neutral coasts and
ports, contrary to all international law,
Long before the beginning of submarine
war England practically completely in
tercepted legitimate neutral navigation
to Germany also.
THUS Germany was driven to sub
marine war on trade,
ION November IA, 1914, the English Pre-
.l,,. IL r,F
that IL was one of England's principal
tasks to prevent food for the German
population from reaching Germany via
neutral ports. Since March 1 England
has been taking from neutral ships with
out further formality all merchandise
proceeding to Germany, as well as all
merchandise coming from Germany, even
when neutral property Just as 1t was
also with the Beers. the German people
is now TO be given the choice of perishing
from starvation, with its women and
children, or of relinqushing its independ-
ence.
IN SELF-DEFENSE
while our enemies thus loudly and
openly proclaimed war without mercy un-
I'll our utter destruction, we were con-
Quoting q war in self-defense for our ma
tional existence and for the sake of peace
of an assured permanency. We have
fare TO meet the declared intentions OF
our enemies and the method of warfare
adopted by them in contravention of in
ternational law
with all its efforts in principle to pro-
tect neutral life and property from dam
age as much as possible, the German
Government recognized unreservedly in
It's memorandum of February that the
interests of neutrals might suffer from
the submarine warfare. However, the
American Government will also under
stand and appreciate that in the fight for
existence which has been forced upon
Germany by It's adversarles and an
nounced by them, 1t is the sacred duty
of the Imperial Government to do all
within Its power to protect and save the
lives of German subjects. II the Imperial
Government were derelict in these, Its
duties, It would be guilty before God and
history of the violation of those principles
of highest humanity which are the foun-
dation of every national existence.
"The case of the Lusitania shows with
horrible clearness to what jeopardizing OF
human lives the manner of conducting
war employed by our adversaries leads.
In the most direct contradiction of in
ternational law, all distinctions between
merchantmen and war vessels have been
obliterated by the order to British mer-
chantmen to arm themselves and to ram
submarines, and the promise of rewards
therefor, and neutrals who use merchant
men as travellers thereby have been ex-
posed in an increasing degree to all the
dangers of war.
MEANT SELF-DESTRUCTIoN.
"If the commander OF the German sub
marine which destroyed the Lusitania
had caused the crew and passengers to
take to the boats before firing a torpedo,
this would have meant the sure destruc-
tion of his own vessel. After the expert
ences in sinking much smaller and less
seaworthy vessels, 1t was to be expected