The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-07-16
GERMANS N DEFENSE
SINKING OF lUS|TAh|A
Kaiser Replies to the American
Note Sent BY Wilson

embodied In the reply 10 the United
States note regarding the sinking OF
the Lusitania and submarine warfare,
which was delivered to James W.
Gerard, the American ambassador, is:
First-Reiterated assurance that
American ships engaged in Legitimate
trade will not be interfered with nor
the lives OF Americans upon neutral
ships be endangered.
Second-The German submarines
will be instructed to allow American
passenger ships to pass freely and
safely. Germany entertaining in re-
turn the confident hope that the
American government will see that
these ships do not carry contraband:
such ships to be provided with dis
tingHishing marks and their arrival
announced reasonable time
in advance The same privilege
is extended 10 a reasonable number
OF neutral passenger ships under the
American flag and should the number
Of ships thus available for passenger
service prove inadequate Germany Is
willing TO permit America to place
four hostile passenger steamers un-
de- the American flag TO ply between
North America and Europe under the
same conditions.
The text Of the German note fol.
fOws
Full Text Of German Note.
"Reri!n. July S.--Thc undersigned
has the honor To make the following
reply to his exCellency. Ambassador
Gerard. to the note of the 10th ulti-
mo. re the impairment of American
interests by the German submarine
war. The imperial German govern
nent learned with satisfaction from
the note how earnestly the govern
ment of the United States is concern
ed in seeing the principles OF human
ity realized i'm the present war. Also
this appeal finds ready echo in Ger
many and the imperial government is
quite willing TO permit its statements
and decisions on the present case to
be governed by the principles of ,hu-
mGuity Just as IL has done always.
The imperial government welcom-
Cd with gratitude when the American
government. in the note of May Is
itsoif. recalled that Germany had al
ways permitted itself TO be governed
by the principles Of progress and hu.
mainly in dealing with the law OF
I'D
Frederick the Great negotiated with
John Adams. benjamin Franklin and
) Thomas jefferson. the treaty of friend
ship and commerce OF Sept. 2. 17Sj.
between Prussia and the republic Of
the west. German and American
statesmen have. in fact, always stood
together in the struggle for the free
dom Of the seas and for the proteC-
tiOn OF peaCeable trade.
Protection Of Neutrais.
In the international proceedings
which. since have been conducted for
the regulation OF the laws of mari
time war Germany and America have
Jointly advocated progressive princi-
the right of capture at sea and the
protection of the interests of neutrals
Even at the beginning OF the pres
ent war the German government i'm
mediately declared its Willingness, In
response to proposals Of the Ameri-
can government. TO ratify the declarn.
tion OF London and thereby subject
itself in the use of its naval forces to
all the restrictions provided therein in
favor OF neutrals. Germany likewise
has been always tenacious of the
principle that war should be conduct
I'd against the armed and organized
forces OF an enemy country, but that
the enemy civilian population must
be spared as far as possible from the
measures Of war
The imperial government cherish
es the definite hope that some way
will he found. when peace is conclud-
cd, or perhaps earlier, to regulate the
law Of maritime war in a manner
guaranteeing the freedom OF the seas
and will welcome II with gratitude
and satisfaction II Il can work hand
In hand with the American govern
ment on that occasion.
Germany Discisims Guilt.
IF in the present war the principles
which should he the ideal of the f,l-
tIire have been traversed more and
more. the longer it's duration, the Ger
man government has no guilt there.
In.
1T Is known TO the American gov.
eminent how Germany's adversaries,
by completely paralyzing peaceable
traffic between Germany and neutral
countries, have aimed from the very
beginning and with increasing lack or
consideration al It's destruction. not
so much of the armed forces as the
life of the German nation. regulating
In doing so all the rules of interna.
.ional law and disregarding all the
rights of neutrals.
"On Nov. 3, 1914. England declared
the North sea a war area and by
planting poorly anchored mines aud
by the stoppage and capture of yes
sells made passage extremely danger.
Gus and difficult for neutral shipping,
so tby) that action biockading neu-
trail coasts and ports contrary to all
international law. Long before the
beginning OF submarine war England