The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-10

Thus Germany was driven to a submarine war on trade.
 'tOn November IA. 1914, the English premier declared in the house of commons that 1t was one of Eng1and's principal tasks to prevent food the German pop u1ation from reaching Germany via neutral ports. Since March Ist, England has been taking from neutral ships without fur ther forTnality all merchandise as all merchandise coming from Germany, even when neutral property. Just as it was also with the Boere. the German peo- pie is now to be given the choice of perishing from starvation with its women and children, or of reIinquishing it's independence.
 War in Self Defense.
 While our enemies thus loud ly and openly proclaimed war without mercy until our utter de- struction, we were conducting 8 war in self defence for our na- tionaI existence and for the sake of peace of an assured perma nency. We have been obliged to adopt submarine warfare to meet the declared intentions of our enemies and the method of warfare adopted by them in con traventton of international law.
 With all it's efforts in principle to protect neutral life and prop erty from damage as much as possible, the German govern ment recognized unreservedIy in it's memorandum of February 4, that the interests of neutrals might lslIffer from the submarine warfare Howeyer,the American governme ent will also understand and appreciate that in the fight for existence which has been forced upon Germany by it's ad- versailles and announced by them it is the sacred duty of the Inn peria1 government to do all with in it's power to protect and save the lives of German subjects. If the Imperial government were dereIict in these, it's duties, 1t would be guilty before God and history of the violation of those principles of highest humanity which are the foundation of every national existence.
 'sThe case of the Lusftanta. shows with horrible cIearness to what Jeopardizing of human lives the manner Of conducting war employed by our adversaries leads Tn the most direct con- tradiction of international law all distinctions between merchantmen and war vessels have been ob1it- erated by the order to British merchantmen to arm themselves and to ram submarines and the promise Of rewards thereof, and neutrals who use merchantmen as T. f1- - posed in an Increasing degree to all the dangers of war.
 ''r the commander of the Ger man subnarine 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 destruction of his own vessel. After the experience in sinking much smaller and less seaw orthy vessels it was to be expected that q. mighty ship, like the Lusitania. would remain above water long enough even after torpedoing to permit passengers to enter the ships boats Circumstances of a very peculiar kind. especially the presence on board of large Quan- titles Of highly explosive ma ter1als Cword omitted, possible sdfsd pated',9 this expectation In addition it may be pointed out that if the Lusitania, had been spared thousands Of eases of ann munitions would have been sent to Gernaany's enemies and there by thousands of German mothers and children robbed of bread winners.
 s-In the spirit of friendship wherewith the German nation has been iInbued towards the union and it's Inhabitants since the ear Hest days of it's existence, the Imperial government will always be ready to do all it can during the present war also to prevent