The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-22

1 position m tnese respects nad been made abundantly clear. but 1 am, of course, perfectly willing to state it again. This seems to me the moro necessary and desirable because, 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 perform ance of its duties as a neutral.
 'l take it for granted that no such implication was intended, but it is so evident that your eXcelency is labor ing under certain false impressions that | cannot be tco explicit in setting forth the facts as they are
 Tn the first place, this government has at no time and in no manner yielded any one of its rights as a neutral to any one of the present bel Hgerents. It has acknowledged as d matter of course. the right of visit and search and the right to apply the rules of contraband of war to articles of commerce. It has indeed, insisted upon the use of visit and search as an absolutely necessary safeguard against mistaking neutral vessels for vessels owned by an enemy, and against mistaking legal cargocs for illegal. It has admitted also the right of blockade if actually exercised and effectively maintained. These are merely the well known limitations which war places upon neutral com merce on the high seas. But nothing beyond these has it conceded l call your eXcellency's attention to this, notwithstanding it is already known to all the world as a consequence of the publication of our correspondence in regard to these matters with say- eral of the belligerent nations because l cannot assume that you have off, cial cognizance of it.
 'In the second place, this govern ment attempted to secure from the German and British governments mU- tUal concessions with regard to the measures those governments respec- lively adopted for the interruption of u aAN On kHG ul1A NtdEt | HIS IL Nli4g not of right, but merely as exercising the privileges of a sincere friend of both parties and as indicating it's impartial good will.
 The attempt was unsuccessful; bat l regret that your eXcellency did not deem it worthy of mention iil- H4ed+fl- cation of the impressions you ex- pressed We had hoped that this act on our 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 aud interests of neutrals.
 In the third place, note with sin cere regret that, in discussing the sale and eXportation of arms by citi- zens of the United States to the ene- mics of Germany, your eXcellency seems to be under the impression that it was within the scope of the govern ment of the United States, notwth- standing it's proiessed neutrality and its diligent efforts to maintain 1t in other particulars to inhbit this trade, and that its failure to do so manifest ed an unfair attitude towards Ger many
 This government holis, as | be- lieve your eXcelIency is aware, and as it is constrained to hold in view Of the present indisputable doctrines of accepted international law. that any change in its own laws of neutrality during the progress of war which would affect unequalIy the relations of the United States with the nations at war would he an unjustiflable de parture from the principle of strict neutrality by which it has consistent ly sought to direct its actions, and respectfully submit that none of the circumstances urged in your eXcei- lency's memorandum alters the prin. ciple involved.
 T hope that your eXcellency will realize the spirit in wlich 1 am draft ing this reply The friendship be- tween 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 so many and so strong that this government feels under a special compulsion to speak with per feet frankness when any occasion arises which seems likely to create any misunderstanding, however slight or temporary, between those who rep resent the governments of the two countries It will be a matter of qualification to me if l have removed from your excellency's mind any mis. apprehension you may have been un- der regarding either the policy or the spirit and purposes of the government of the United States. Its neutrality , is founded upon the firm basis of con. { science and good will.
 Accept, eXcellency, the renewed assurances of my higAest considera | tion. w. J. BRYAN At the German embassy no com ment was made on the note further than a statement that it had been transmitted to the foreign office al Berlin,