Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-07-29
LANSING TELLS GERMANY
that SEA MUST Be FREE
Latest Note Declares that American
Lives Will be Protected from All
Illegal Attacks at All Costs.

Washington, d. C.-Following is
the official text of the latest American
note to Germany regarding submarine
warfare, which was delivered to the
foreign office at Berlin by Ambassa-
dor Gerard:
The secretary of state to Ambas-
sador Gerard:
Department of State, Washington,
D. G, July 81, 1916
You are instructed to deliver text
ually the following note to the minis
ter for foreign affairs:
Thenote of the Imperial German
government, dated the 9Th of July,
1915, has received the careful consid-
Grafton Of the government Of the
United States, and it regrets to be
obliged to say that it has found 1t
very unsatisfactory, because it fails
to meet the real difference between
the two governments and 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, ar
rangements for a partial suspension
of those principles which virtually set
them aside.
The government of the United
States notes with satisfaction that the
Imperial German government recog-
nizes without reservation the validity
of the principles insisted on in the
several communications which this
government has addressed to the I'M
perial German government with re-
gard to its announcement of a war
zone and the use Of submarines
against merchantmen on the high
seas--the principle that the high seas
are free, that the character and cargo
Of a merchantmen must first be as
c~ertained before she can lawfully be
seized or destroyed, and that the
lieves Of noncombatants may in no
case be put in jeopardy unless the
vessel resists or seeks to escape after
being summoned to submit to examin-
alton; for a belligerent act of retalia-
ton is per sc an act beyond the law,
and the defense Of an act as retalia-
tory is an admission that it is illegal.
The government Of the United
States, is, however, keenly disappoint-
ed to find that the Imperial German
government regards itself as in large
degree exempt from the obligation to
observe these principles, g where
neutral vessels are concerned, by
what 1t believes the policy and prac-
tice Of the government Of Great Brit
ain to be in the present var with re
gard to neutral commerce.
Illegal and lnhuman Acts.
The Imperial German government
will readily understand that the gov
eminent Of the United States cannot
discuss the policy Of the government
Of Great Britain with reyard to neu-
trail trade except with that govern
ment itself, and that 1t must regard
the conduct of other belligerent gov
ernments as irrelevant to any discus
sion with the Imperial German gov
eminent Of what this government re-
CARDS as grave and unjustifiable VIC
lations of the rights of American cit
liens by German naval commanders.
Illegal and inhuman acts, however
justiiable they may be thought to be
against an enemy who is believed to
have acted In contravention of law
and humanity, are manifestly indefen-
sible when they deprive neutrals Of
their acknowledged rights, particu-
larly when they violate the right of
life itself.
If a b%elligerent cannot retaliate
against an enemy without injuring the
lives of neutrals, as well as their prop
erty, humanity as we'll as justice and
a due regard for the dignity of neutral
powers, should dictate that the prac=
tice be discontinued.
If persisted in 1t would in such cir
cumstances constitute an unpardon-
able offense against the sovereignty
of the neutral nation.
The government Of the United
States Is not unmindful Of the extra
ordinary conditions created by this
war or of the radical alterations of
circumstances and method of naval
warfare which the nations Of the
world cannot have had in view when
the existing rules Of international law
were formulated, and it Is ready to
make every reasonable allowance for
these novel and unexpected aspects
of war at sea; but it cannot consent
t oabate any essential or fundamental
right Of its people because of a mere
alteration Of circumstances. The
rights of neutrals in time Of war are
based upon principle, not upon ex-
pedency, and the principles are i'm
mutable. 1t is the duty and obligation
of belligerents to find a way to adapt
the new circumstances to them.
The events Of the past two months
have clearly indicated that 1t is posi-
Some persons mental processes are
so highly refined that they cannot take
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