The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-05-11

enemy and against installing legal car
goes for illegal. II has admitted also
the right of blockade, if actually exer-
cised and effectively maintained, These
are merely the well-known limitations
which war places upon neutral com.
| merce on the high seas. But nothing
teyond these has it conceded. 1 call
your excellency's attention to this, not
| withstanding it is already known to all
the world as q consequence Of the pub.
LEGATION of our correspondence in regard
to these matters with several of the
belligerent nations, because cannot
assume that you have official cognizance
of it. ~
In the second place, this govern
ment attempted to secure from the
German and British governments fnu.
tual concessions with regard to the
measures those governments respective.
ly adopted for the interruption Of trade
on the high seas This 1t did, not Of
right but merely as exercising the priv.
ileges Of n sincere friend of both par.
ties and as indicating its impartial
good will. The attempt was unsuceess
tm, but / regret that your excelleney
did not deem it worthy of mention in.
modification of the impressions you ex-
pressed. We had hoped that this act
on your part had shown our spirit in
these times of distressing war as our
diplomatic correspondence had shown
our steadfast refusal TO acknowledge
the right of any belligerent to alter
the accepted rules of war at sea in SO
far as they affect the rights and in.
terests of neutrals.
On the Sale Of Arms ~
In The third place, note with sin.
cere regret that, in discussing the sale
and expectation of arms by citizens Of
the United States to the enemies Of
Germany, your excellency seems to be
under the impression that it was within
the choice of the government of the
United States, Notwithstanding its pro.
fessed neutrality and its diligent efforts
to maintain it in other particulars, to
inhibit this trade, and that its failure
to do SO manifested ap unfair attitude
toward Germany. This government
holds, as | believe your excellency is
aware, and as 1t is constrained to hold
in view Of the present indisputable doc.
trines of accepted international law,
that any change in its own laws of neu.
trality during the progress of a war
which would affect unequally the rela.
tions of the United States with the ma
tions at war would be an uniustifable
departure from the principle of strict
neutrality by which it has consistently
sought TO direct its actions, and | re.
speetfully submit that none of the cir.
cumstances urged in your exeellSney Is
memorandum alters the principle in.
VOWED. The placing of an embargo on
the trade in arms at the present time
would constitute such a change and be
direct violation of the neutrality of
the United States. 1t will, l feel as.
sur"d, be clear to your excellency that
holding this view and considering itself
in honor bound by 1t, it is ont of the
question. for this government to con.
slider such a course.
Friendship Is Strong
81 hope that your excelloncy win
realize the spirit in which | am draft.
ing this reply. The friendship between
the people of the United States and the
people of Germany is so warm and of
such long standing, the ties which bind
them to one another in amity are 80
many and so strong that this gov, rn.
mCnt feels under special compulsion
to speak with perfect frankness when
"ny occasion arises which seems likely
to create any Misunderstanding, how.
ever slight or temporary, between
those who represent the governments
of the two countries. In will be a mat.
ter Of qualification to me if | have re,
moved from your excellency's minnd
any apprehension You may have
been under regarding either the policy
or the spirit and purposes of the gov
eminent, Of the United States. Its npu.
tlality is founded upon the firm basis
of conscience and good will.
- Accept, exeellency, the renewed as,
'Surances of my highest consideration.
W. J. BRYAN
No Comment From German Embassy
At the German embassy ITO comment
was made on the note further than
statement thatr,it had been transmitted
to the foreign office at Berlin and that
as it vas a. reply, from the. American
government to communication from
the German government, the embassy
was without authority to say anything
until instructed to do so.