The border vidette., 1915-08-07
WILSON'S MESSAGE TO GERMANY

of the latest note to Germany regarding it's submarine warfare, which was delivered to the for eign office at Berlin by Ambas- sador Gerard
 You are instructed to deliver textually the following note to Minister of Foreign Affairs:
 The note of the Imperial German government, dated the Sth day of July, 1915, has re- ceived the careful consideration of the government of the United States, and it regrets to be ob- liged to say that it has found it very unsatisfactory, because it fails to meet the real differences between the two governments, and indicates in no way in which the accepted principles of law and humanity may be applied in the grave matter in contro- verSy, but proposes, on the con trary, arrangements for a par tial suspension of those prin- ciples which virtually set them aside.
 The government of the Unit ed States notes with satisfaction that the Imperial German gov ernment recognizes without re- servation the validity of the principles insisted upon in the several tiOnS which this government has addressed to the Imperial German gov ernment with regard to it's an nouncement 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 merchantmen must first be ascertained before she can lawfully be seized or de- stroyed, and that the lives of non-combatants may in no case be put in jeopardy unless the vessel reSiStS or seeks to escape after being summoned to sub init to examinations; for a belli- gerent act of retaliation is per SC an ct beyond the law, and de fense of an act>aS retaliatory is an admission that it is illegal.
 The government of the Unit ed States is, however, keenly disappointed to find that the I'm perial German government re- gardS itself as, in @ large degree, exempt from the obligation to observe these principles, even where neutral vessels are con- cerned or justified by what it be. lieves the policy and practice of the government of Great Britain to be in the present war with regard to neutral commerce.
 ''The Imperial government will readily understand that the gov ernment Of the United States cannot discuss the policy of the government of Great Britain with regard to neutral trade except with that government itself, and that it must regard the conduct of other belligerent governments as irrelevant to any discussion with the Imperial German gov ernment of what this govern ment regards as grave and un- juStifia ble violations of the rights of American citizens by German naval commanders. Illegal and inhuman acts, however justifi- able they may be thought to be, against an enemy who is believ ed to have acted in contraven- tion of the law and humanity, are manifestly indefensible when they deprive neutrals of their acknowledged rights, particrl- arly when they violate the right to life itself. If belligerents cannot retaliate against an enemy without injuring the lives of neutrals as we'll as their prop erty, humanity, as well as jus tice and due regard for the dignity of neutral powers, should dictate that the practice be dis continued.
 ''If persisted in it would in such circumstances constitute an unpardonable offense against the sovereignty of the neutral na- tion affected. The government of the United States is not un- mindful of the extraordinary conditions created by the war or of radical alterations of circum- stances and the method of at tack produced by the develop ment of the instrumentalities of naval warfare which the nations of the world cannot have had in view when the existing rules of international law were form ulated, and it is ready to make