The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-03
Report to English Paper Summarizes Proposals
 and Reply
ASK COMPROMISE
 BY TWO COUNTRIES
United States Attitude Entirely Friendly and Fair---Suggestions Made in the Interest of
 Neutral Powers

London. March 2.--t1G;OS n. mD-A Reuter- dispatch from Amsterdam gives the contents of the American note of February 22 to Great Britain and Ger many and Germnry's reply thereto. The notes were received in Amsterdam in . dispatch from Berlin.
 The American note expresses the hope thnt Great Britain and Germany l may, through reciprocal concessions. | discover n bnsis of understanding which would tend to free ships engaged In neutral and peaceful commerce from serious dangers to which they nrc cx- posed in passing through the coastal waters of the bclIigcrent countries.
 This suggestion. the note says. should not be considered as proposal by the American government. whom it does not bchoove to propose conditions for such an agreement though the question at issue has a direct and far-reaching in- terest for the United States
 Sincerity of Friendship
 The note says tho United States ven- lures solely to take liberty which it is convinced can be conceded to a sincere friend actuated by desire to cause in- convenience to neither of the two nations and possibly to serve the common inter- ests of humanity.
 The suggestion Is made that Germany and Great Britain should agree. first. that isolated drifting mines should be laid by neither party, that anchored mines should be laid exclusively for defense, within gun range harbors. and that all mines should bear the mark of the gov ! ernment of origin and be so constructed as to become harmless after breaking loose from their anchorage It is suggested. second, that submarines should not be employed to attack mer- chant vessels of any nationality, except to carry out the right of holding them up and searching them; and. third, that mercantile ships of neither of the parties should employ neutral flags as \ war ruse or to conceal their identity. Great Britain, it is suggested, should agree that foodstuffs shall not be made absolute contraband and that the British authorities neither shall disturb nor hold up cargoes of such goods addressed to agencies in Germany, tho. names of which are communicated byN>he United States government for the pH-pose of receiving such goods and handing them over to the licensed German retailers for further distribution exclusively to the civil population.
 Germany, 1t Is contended, should de- clare her agreement that foodstuffs from the United States, or any other neutral country shall be addressed to such agencies.
 
 Finally, the American government says 1t wishes to safeguard itself against the idea that it either acknowledges or re- pudiates any right on the part of the bel ligerents or neutrals established on the principles of international law. The American government would rather re- gard such an agreement as a modus vivendi which Is based more on suitable ness than on legal right.
 Germany's Reply
 The German reply to the United States was dispatched Sunday. Ii begins
 'Ihe German government has taken notice of the American suggestion with lively Interest and sees therein new proof of friendly feelings, which are fully reciprocated by Germany. The sug- gestion corresponds also to the German wishes that the naval war should be waged according to rules which, without subjecting one or the other beligercnt powers to one sided restrictions of methods of warfare, would take into con sideration the interests of neutrals as well as the laws of humanity.
 Tn this sense, the German note of February 16, already has pointed out that the observance of the London declaration by Germany's enemies would create q new situation from which Germany would be prepared to draw conclusions.
 Starting from this conception the Ger mar government has submitted the Amer iean suggestion to attentive examination and believes that it can recognize therein an effectively suitable basis for a prac- tical solution of the questions at issue.
 On particular suggestions of the Ameri- can note the following remarks are made:
 'sGermany would be prepared to mako the suggested declaration concerning the unemployment of drifting mines and the construction of anchored mines, and fur
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