The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-07-26
COUCHED IN VERY
PLAIN LANGUAGE
Latest American Note to Ger
man Government.
PROTESTS ILLEGAL ACTS

at Sea lmperiling the Lives OF
American Citizens viii Be Regard
ed as Deliberately Unfriendly"
Washington, July 26.-The latest
American note to Germany regarding
submarine warfare is in part as fol
lows:
The note of the German imperial
government dated July s, 1915, has re
ceived the careful consideration OF
the government of the United States
and it regrets to be obliged to say
that it has found ii very unsatisfac
tory because it fails to meet the real
difference between the two govern.
ments and indicates no way in which
the accepted principles of law and hu.
manity may be applied in the grave
matter in controversy, but proposes
to the contrary arrangements for a.
partial suspension of those principles
which virtually set them aside.
The government of the United
States is keenly disappointed to
find that the imperial German govern.
ment regards itself as in large degree
exempt from the obligation to observe
principles of international law even
where neutral vessels are concerned
/ practice of the government of Great
/ Britain to be i'm the present war with
4 regard to neutral commerce. The i'm
/ perial German government will read
/ lily understand that the government
/ of the United States cannot discuss
i the policy of Great Britain with re
gard to neutral trade except with that
/ government itself, and that it must
regard the conduct of other belliger
ent governments as irrelevant to any
/ discussion with the imperial German
government of what this government
regards as grave and unjustifable
violations of rights of American citi
zens by German naval commanders
Protests HndefensibIe" Acts.
Illegal and inhuman acts, however
Z JuSiAiidnl1 lntA UldN Ut LlOuSul W Dt
against any enemy who is believed to
have acted in contravention of law
and humanity. are manifestly indefen.
F sible when they deprive neutrals oi
their acknowledged rights, particular
ly when they violate the right of life
itself If a belligerent cannot re.
taliate against an enemy without in.
l.
as their property. humanity as well
as justice and a due regard for the
dignity of neutral powers, should die.
tate that the practice be discontinued.
THE government of the United
States is not unmindful of the extraor.
dinary conditions created by this wal
or of the radical alterations of cir.
:, cumstances and method of attack pro.
duced by the use of instrumentalities
of naval warfare which the nations
of the world cannot have had in view
when the existing rules of interna.
tional law we're formulated and il is
ready to make every reasonable al
lowance for these novel and unex
pected aspects of war at sea, but il
cannot consent to abate any essential
or fundamental rights of its people
because of a mere alteration of cir
cumstances. The rights of neutrals
in time OF war are based upon prin
ciples, not upon expediency, and the
principles are immutable. 1t is the
: duty and obligation of belligerents tc
find a way to adapt the new circum
stances TO them.
Reparation and Disavowal Asked.
"In view of the admissions of file
, gality made by the imperial German
> government when ii pleaded the right
of retaliation in defense of it's acts
and in view of the manifest possibility
e of conforming to the established rules
;. of naval warfare, the government o.
!, the United States cannot believe tina
the imperial German government will
longer refrain from disavowing th,
wanton act of a naval commander IL
sinking the Lusitania or from offer
d ing reparation for the American hvei
lost, so far as reparation can be mad,
e for a needless destruction of human
t life by an illegal act.
/ THE government of the United
j States will continue to contend fo
d freedom of the seas. from whateve
; quarter violated, without compro
t mise and at any cost. 1t invites tn,
practical cooperation of the imperia
: German government at this tim,
L when cooperation may accomplish
, most
Q "In the meantime the very valu
d which this government sets upon tn
: long and unbroken friendship betweel
d the people and government of tn
/ United States and the people an
! government of the German nation I'm
pels it to press very solemnly upol