Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-07-30
u, s, WILL UPHOLD
FREED0MO SEAS
Germany Warned Our RIghfj
Must be Respected
NOT EXEMPT FROM Law
Further Attacks Will Be Regarded al
deliberately Unsriendly," Berlin II
Firmly Informed.

The text of the American note OF
submarine warfare, presented at BET
lin by Ambassador Gerard, was mad'
. public in Washington.
1t reveals that the imperial govern
ment has been informed il IS the in
tention OF the United States to re
gard as "deliherate!y untriend!y' an!
repetition b. tie commanders OF Ger
man naval vessels Of acts in contra
vertion O. American rights.
The United States announces ina
it will continue to contend fer mi
freedom. of the seas, from whatcVe
quarter violated, without compromise
and at any cost"
In official and diplomatic quarter!
the communication was received al
the strongest and most emphatic pro
nouncement that has CONE from th'
Washington government since the be
ginning of its correspondence witt
the belligerents OF Europe. President
Wilson has returned to Cornish, n. II.
TO await developments.
On the assumption that Germany ha:
already admitted the ;llegality OF hel
practices by attempting to justify
them as against Great Britain, th&
United States in tie new note eN
presses the belief that Germany will
no longer refrain from disavowinl
the wanton act of its naval command
er in sinking the Lusitania or from
offering reparation for the American
lives lost, so far as PREPARATION can be
made for a needless destruction oI
human life by an illegal act" 90.
Referring to the German govern
ments expression of hope in its lasl
note that the freedom Of the seas may
be established in some measure be
fore the end of the present war, the
United States declares that this OBJ
ject can be accomplished, and invites
the practical cooperation of the i'm
perial government. The American gov
ernment adds, however, that it "holds
itself ready at any time to act as the
common friend who may be privileged
TO suggest a way" to assist in estab
fishing the freedom of the seas.
At the outset, the German note ol
Jul is declared very unsatisfactory
because it fails to meet the real diE
ferences between the two govern
mants ana indicates no way in which
the accepted principles of law and
humanity may be applied in the grave
matter in controversy, but proposes
on the contrary, arrangements for a
partial suspension of those principles
which virtually set them aside"
Contending that "the defense of an
act as retaliatory is an admission that
it is Illegal" the American govern
ment then argues that it cannot dis
cuss actions of Great Britain with
Germany and must regard as "irrele
want" in the present negotiations the
conduct OF other belligerents.
Illegal and inhuman acts" says
the note, however justitiable they
may be thought against an enemy who
is believed to have acted in contra
yention of law and humanity are man
ifestly irdefensible when they de.
prive neusrals of their acknowledged
rights, particularly when they violate
the right of life itself"
Pointing out that a belliserent
should give up its measures of retail
snf ,nh Il n 70 1IIDt
without injuring the lives Of neu
trails" the note declares that persist
ence in such measures under the cir
cumstances would constitute an un
pardonable offcnse against the sover
eighty of the neutral nation affected.
The United States, it is further as
serted, is mot unmindful of the ex
traordinary conditions" created by
the present war and is ready to make
every reasonable allowance for these
novel and unexpected aspects o. war
at sea-" bat cannot consent ito abate
any essential or fundamental right OF
the people because of a mere altera'
ton OF circumstance"
Full Text of the Note.
The following is the full text Of the
note:
The Secretary of State to Ambassa'
dor Gerard.
Department of State,
Washington, July Il, 1915.
Yo uare instructed to deliver tex.
tually the following note to the min.
lister for foreign affairs:
The note OF the imperial govern.
ment, dated the eighth oil July, 1915,
has received the careful consideration
of the government Of the United
States, and it regrets to be obliged to
say that it has found it very un3atis.
factory, because it fails to meet ,he
real differences between the two gov.
ernments and indicates no way in
which the accepted principles of law
and humanity may be applied in the
grave matter in controversy, but pro.
poses, on the contrary. arrangement IS
for a partial suspension OF those prin.
ciples which virtually set them aside.
The go ernment OF the United
States notes with satisfaction that TIE
imperial ( rman government reCog.
niZes without reservation the va idty
Of the principles insisted on in the
several communications which this
Uovernmant hac aldracsed to tho i'm,