The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-04-28
PUBLISH i. 5. REPLY
ANSWER IS SENT TO RECENT NOTE OF
GERMAN GOVERNMENT
As TO EXPORTING Arms

As TO EXPORTING Arms
Uncle Sam Suggests That Ambassa
dor Bernstorff is Laboring Under
False Impressions-Declares EN-
barge on Arms Would be Violation
Of Neutrality.
The United Stat replied Wednos
day to the recnt memorandum II
which Count Won Bernstorf, the Ger
man ambassador, declared "that i
the American people desire to OBJ
serve the neutrality taeySwil fne
means to stop the exclusive fmporta,
ton of arms to ono side, or at leas,
to use this export trade as a means tc
uphold the legitimate trade with Ger.
many, especially the trade in food
stuffs"
The American note, signed by Sec.
retary Bryan, was drafted at tie state
department, but was finally penned
by President Wilson bimself. After
pointing out that the language used
by Count Won Bernstorff "is susccp.
tible Of being construed as inpugning
the good faith Of the United States In
the performance OF its duties as a
neutral the ncte s'takes it for grant
ed that no such implication was in
tended" and suggests that evidently
the German ambassador is laborlne
under certain false impressions.
1t then declares that while the re-
lations of tie United States with any
one of the belligerents "can not wise
ly be made a subj:ct OF discussion
with a third government, such cor
respondence between tho United
States and the allies as has been pub
lished shows "tfle steadfact refusal
Of the American government Ito &C
knowledge the right Of any bellsger-
ent to alter the accepted rules OF war
at sea insofar as they AFFECT the
rights and interests OF neatrals."
The attitude Of the United States
on the question Of expectations OF
arms is restated-namely, that to
place any embars" on arms during
the progress OF war would be %
direct violation Of the neutrality OF
the United States" The note refers
to the spirit Of friendship, which the
United States desires always to mani
fest toward Germany and its people
and concludes with the declaration
that the neutrality Of the United
States els founded upon the firm
basis of conscience and good will.
The communication was delivered
by messenge to Count Won Bern
storff late Wednesday and by agree
ment with the German embassy the
state department made it public
"Wednesday night.
The text of the note follows:
"Excellency: have given thought
full consideration to your EZcellency's S
note of the 4th of April, 1915, enclos-
<,aemofaldu uw cf,the- same date,
in which your Excellency discusses
the action of this government with
regard to trade between the United
States and Germany, and the attitude
of this government with regard to the
exportation of arms from the United
States to the nations now at war with
Germany.
"I must admit that I am somewhat
at a. loss how to interpret your Excel
lency's treatment Of these matters.
There are many circumstances con-
nected with these important subjects
to which I would have expected your
Excellency to advert, but OF which
YOU make no mention, and there are
other circumstances to which you do
refer which I would have supposed
hardly appropriate for discussion be-
tween the government OF the United
States and the government OF Ger
many.
"I shall take the liberty, therefore,
of regarding your Excellency's refer
ences to the course pursued by the
government Of the United States with
regard to interferences with trade
from this country such as the gov
ernment Of Great Britain have at
tempted as intended merely to Illus
trate more fully the situation to
which you desire to call our atten-
ton. and not rs an invitation to dis
cuss that course.
"Your Excellency's long experience
in international affairs will have sug-
gested to you that the relations OF
the two governments with one anotn-
er can not wisely be made subject
of discussion with third govern
ment. which can not be fully inform
ed as to the facts, and which can not
be fully cognizant Of the reasons Tor
the course pursued. I believe, how
ever, that I am justified in assuming
that what you desire to call forth is
2 frank statement Of the position OF
this government in regard to its obli'
cations as neutral power. The gen
eral attitude and course Of policy OF
this government in the maintenance
of it's neutrality I am particularly
anxious that your Excellency should
see in their true light.
81 had hoped that this govern.
me0C pOSlIlOu Ill IlleSO AOopeS.o AtNN
been made abundantly clear, but
am, of course, perfectly willing to
state it again. This seems to me the
more necessary and desirable be-
cause. I regret to say, the language
which your Excellency employs in
YOUR memorandum is susceptible OF
being construed as impugning the
good faith Of the United States in the
performance of it's duties as a neu'
trail. take it for granted that nc
such implication was intended, but II
is so evident that your Excellency is
laboring under certain false impress
sions that can not be too explicit in
setting forth the facts as they are
when fully reviewed and comprehend
ed.
"In the first place, this government
has at no time and in no manner
Welded any one of it's rights as neu'
trail to any one of the present belllg'
erents. 1t has acknowledged. as
matter Of course. the right of visit
and search and the right to apply the
rules of contraband Of war to artl'
o1oc of cornmerce RI has indeed In