The Sentinel=record., 1915-03-03

cated by the United States govern ment for the purpose of receiving such goods and handing them over to licensed German retailers for further distribution exclusively to the civil population.
 Germany, it is contended, should declare her agreement that foodstufis from the United States or another neutral country shall be addressed to such agencies.
 Finally, the American government says it wishes to safeguard itself against the idea that it either ac- knOwledges or repudiates any right on the part of belligerents or neutlaIs established on the principles of inter. national law The American govern ment would rather regard such an agreement as a modus vivendi which is based more on suitableness than on legal right.
 The German reply to the note Of the United States was dispatched last Sunday. It begins as follows:
 "The German government has taken note of the American suggestion with lively interest and sees therein new proof of friendly feelings. which are fully reciprocated by Germany. The suggestion corresponds also to the German wishes that the naval war should be waged according to rules which. without subjecting one or the other belligerent powers to one-sided restrictions of methods of warfare, would take into consideration the in terests of neutrals as vel as the laws of humanity
 "ln 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 d new situation from which Germany would gladly be pre- pared to draw conclusions.
 Starting from this conception, the German government has submitted the American suggestion to a tenta- tive examination and believes that it can recognize therein an effectively suitable basis for a practical solution of the questions at issue"
 On particular suggestions contained in the American note the following remarks are made:
 Germany would be prepared to make the suggested declaration con- corning the unemployment of drift ing mines and the construction Of an chored mines and further agrees with the suggestion to attach a government mark to any mines which may be laid, "On the other hand. it appears to Germany not to be practicable for the lligerent powers fully to renouncc the employment of anchored mines for offensive purpose
 Second German submarines would employ force against mercantile yes sels of whatsoever flag only insofar as it is required for the purpose O. carrying out the right to hold Up and search. If the hostile nationality of ship or the presence of Contraband were proved, the submarines would proceed according to the general in ternational rules.
 Third, as the American note pro videe for the above mentioned restric ton in the employment of subma- rines, it follows that enemy mercan- tile vessels should abstain from the use of neutral flags and other neutral signs In this connection it is ob vious that hostile mercantile yesse.s should not be armed and should re train from offering violent resistance, since such conduct which is opposed to international law, renders it inn possible for submarines to proceed in accordance with international law
 Fourth the regulation of the legiti- mate importation of food supplies to Germany, as suggested by the Ameri- can government, appears in general to be acceptable. This regulation would of course. be restricted to inn portation by sea, but on the other hand it would aso include indirect importation via neutral ports.
 Germany would therefore be pre- pared to make declarations sucl as are provided for in the American l note. 60 that the employment of i'm ported food supplies would be guaran- teed to be exclusively for the peaceful, civil population
 In this connection Germany must however, emphasize that the imp1rta | tion a'so of other raw materials for | peaceful economic purposes and i'm | cludng fodder. should be made pos 1 sible For this purpose the he ctiie | governments would have to allow free | passage to Germany of raw materials in the free list of the Lon.