The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-02-18
KAISER REFUSES
TOCHANGE ACTS
Reply OF Germany T' Blockade
Protests Of United States
Firm but Friendly.
WANTS PRESSURE ON BRITISH
Declares England by Unlawful
Course Has FsrCed TeutOns
To Retaliate.

BERLIN, via London Feb. 1S.-The
reply Of Germany to the protest OF
the United States against II blockade
Of British wnters Is couched In the
most friendly terms, but firmly main
tains tho position Of Germany as al
ready announced The answer which
Is lengthy document, was convert
cd into code ut the United States em'
hussy under the direction Of AmbHssu.
dor Gerard and has been transmitted
In full to Washington.
The uOte explains that Gernanys
proposed action k rendered necessary
bv Great Britain's policy of attempt
Ing to cut off the food supply for the
German civil population by II method
never recognized In international law
Ehgands course In ordering mcr
chnntmen to ny neutral flngs, equip
ping them with artillery with orders
to destroy submarines, the German re-
ply contends, renders nugRlory the
right ot search, thus giving Germany
the right to attack English shipping
Germany holds that she cannot abhn-
don that right under the stress which
England has forced upon her.
Necessary stand.
Since Germany must compel the ma
tions with which she Is at war TO re-
turn 10 the recognized principles of In
ternatlOnal law and restore the free
dom of seas she argues that the stand
she has taken Is necessary.
The note recommends that the Unit
ed States government send warsnips
10 England to convoy merchant yes
sells through the danger zone as se-
curity against with the understanding
that vessels thus guarded shall carry
no war supplies Hope IL expressed
that the American government Will
understand the position Ia which Ger
many has been placed and appreciate
the reasons for It's course.
The reply closes with an expression
Of the hope that the United States
may prevail ON Great Britain to re-
turn to the principles Of international
law recognized prior to the outbreak
OF the war and In particular Obtnln
the observance Of the London declara'
ton by belllgerents opposed TO Ger
many II this was done, the note ex-
plains. Germany would be- enabled 10
import food supplies and raw mater.
ials. Germany would recognize In this
an Invaluable service toward more
humane conduct of the war and would
act In accordance with the new sltua-
tlOn thus created.
bONDON, Feb, B,-An attitude Of
fricndllness toward the United States
is assumed by Germany In its reply to
the war zone protest, but no promise
Of modification is made, according 10
Reuters Amsterdam correspondent
The reply states that the commml.
cation from the United States govern
ment was examined In the same good
win and friendship by which the pro.
test Seems TO have been dictated.
II continues:
The imperial German government
IS I'm accord with the United States
government In that for both parties,
II Is tu u = gh degree desirable t0
avoid any Misunderstanding which
might arise from the measures an.
nounced by the German admiralty
and TO provide against the occurrence
Of incidents which might trouble the
friendly relations between the two
governments"
The German government, the note
says, may rely on II full understanding
with the United States because the
proposed procedure OF the German
admiralty IL not aimed nj the legiti
mate commerce Of nenrals but "rep.
resents solly u measur Of self defense
imposed on Germany by her vital In.
terests against England's method OF
warfare, which Ia contrary 10 inter.
national law and which 80 far ne
protests by neutrals have succeeded
Nm bringing back to the generally rec
ognized principles ns they existed he
fore the outbreak Of the present war
The text Of the German govern
ment's reply 10 the American noto fol
lows:
'sThe imperial government has OK
nmined the communication from th,
United States government IN the
same spirit Of good win and friend
ship by which the communication m
pears to have been dictated. The i'm
~ rial government Il IN accord witt
the United States government that fol
both parties II Is in a high degree dc
sirable 10 avoid misunderstanding,
which might arise from measures an
nounced by the German admiralty ant
~ provide against the occurrence Of
Incidents which might trouble IN,
friendly relations which 40 far hap
PLY exist between the two govern
ments
Fer Self.Defense. '
With regard 10 assuring thes,
friendly relations, the German govern
ment believes that II may all the NOR,
reckon on the full understanding with
the United states as to the proceel
nre announced by the German admir-
atty which was fully explained In th'
note OF the fourth instant Is In n,
way directed against legitimate com
merce and legitimate shipping OF neu
trails, but represents solely u measur,
OF self-defense imposed on German,
by her vital interests agalnst Eng
lands methods II warfare which 4
contrary TO international law ant
which 80 far no protest by neutrali
has succeeded In bringing back to IN,
generally recognized principles Of law
->r>,>'->S>>~~