The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-05-12

NOT TO HARM
NEUTRAL SHIPS
GERMANY ANNOUNCES CHANGE
IN HER POLICY AND WILL PAY
FOR DAMAGE TO NEUTRAL YES
SELLS.


through ambassador Gerard Tuesday
notified the United States that sub
marine commanders had been specifi
caly instructed not to harm neutral
vessels not engaged in hostile acts;
damages to such ships in the war
zone.
Neutral ships carrying contraband
would be dealt with, the announce
ment says, according to the rules OF
naval warfare. If neutral ships are
accidentally damaged in the war zone
Germany will express regret and pay
damages without prize court proceed
ings.
The German government justifies
its submarine warfare on the grounds
that England is threatening to starve
the civilian population of Germany by
prohibiting neutral commerce in food
stuffs and other necessaries.
In previous communications Ger
many has disclaimed responsibility for
any harm that might befall neutral
vessels venturing into the war zone
Text of Announcement
The text of the announcement ca
bled by ambassador Gerard, which
was issued by the Berlin foreign of
flee in the form of circular, follows
"First-Imperial German govern
ment officially has no intention OF
causing to be attacked by submarines
or aircraft neutral ships of commerce
in the zone of naval warfare. or de
nnitely described in the notice of the
German admiralty staff of February
last as have been guilty of no hos
tile act. On the contrary, the most
definite instructions repeatedly have
been issued to German war vessels
to avoid attacks on such ships under
all circumstances. Even when such
ships have contraband of war on
board they are dealt with by subma
rines solely according to the rule OF
international law applying to prize
warfare.
"Second-should neutral ship new
ertheless come to harm through Ger
man submarines or aircraft on account
of an unfortunate (X) in the above
mentioned zone of naval warfare, the
German government will unreservedly
recognize its responsibility therefore
In such case it will express its regrets
and afford damages without first insti.
tuting a prize court action.
Investigations Started.
"Third-it is the custom of the Ger.
man government as soon as the sink.
ing of a neutral ship in the above
mentioned zone of naval warfare is
stitute an immediate investigation in
to the cause. If the grounds appear
thereby to be given for such a hypo-
thesis, the German navy places itself
in communication with the interested
neutral government so that the latter
may also institute an investigation.
"If the German government is there
by convinced that the ship has been
destroyed by German war vessels, it
will not delay in carrying out the pro
visions of paragraph two, above. In
case the German government contrary
to the viewpoint of the neutral govern
ment is not convinced by the result of
the investigation. the German gov
ernment has also already on several
occasions declared itself ready to al
low the question to be decided by an
international investigating commission
according to chapter three of The
Hague convention, October IS, 1907,
for the peaceful solution of interna-
tional disputes"
(X) Indicates word missing in the
text