The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-07-15
AMERICANS WILL BE SAFE On
NEUTRAL SHIPS
GRAVE ISSUE IS CREATED
German Reply Proposes Restricted
Modus Vivendi and Offers Guaran-
tees With Reservations-O
Reference to Reparation for Loss
of Life on Lusitania.
"Berlin, July 8,

Berlin, July 8.
"The undersigned has the honor t,
make the following reply to Ms e.:
cellency, Ambassador Gerard, to tn
note of the 10th ultimo re the I'M
pairment of American interests b,
the German submarine war.
"The imperial government Learned
with satisfaction from the note hoy
earnestly the government of the Unit
ed States Is concerned in seeing tn,
principles Of humanity realized in tn,
present war. Also this appeal find
ready echo in Germany and the i'm
perial government is quite willinaHI
permit it's statements and decisi
in the present case to be governed
the principles of humanity Just q
has done always.
"The imperial government v
coined with gratitude when
American government in the note
May / 5 itself recalled that Germa
always had permitted itself to
governed by the principles of
gress and humanity in dealing W
the law of maritime war. Since
time when Frederick the Great ned
tiated with John Adams, Benjam
Franklin and Thomas Jefferson q
treaty Of friendship and commerce
September s, 1885, between Pruss
and the Republic Of the West, Cd
man and American statesmen hay
in fact, always stood together in
struggle for the freedom of pead
able trade. In the international pry
ceedings which since have been con
Quoted for the regulation of the law,
of maritime war Germany and Ameri
ca have jointly advocated progressiv,
principles, especially the abolition o
the right of capture at sea and tn,
protection Of the interests of neu
trails.
''Evep at the beginning of the pres
ent war the German government i'm
mediately declared its willingness, II
response to proposals of the Ameri
can government, to ratify the decla
ration Of London and thereby subjec
itself in the use of its naval forces t.
all the restrictions provided therein
I'm favor Of neutrals. Germany like
wise has been always tenacious OF tn,
principle that war should be conduct
ed against the armed and organized
forces of an enemy country but tha
the enemy civilian population mus
be spared as far as possible from tn,
measures of war. The imperial gov
ernment cherishes the definite hop,
that some way will be found, wheI
peace is concluded, or perhaps ear
lier, to regulate the law of martini,
war in a manner guaranteeing tn,
freedom Of the seas, and will wei
come 1T with gratitude and satisfac
ton II 1t can work hand in hand will
the American government on that oc
casion.
''If in the present war the princi
pies which should be the ideal Of tn,
future have been traversed more anC
more, the longer it's duration, tn,
German government has no gull
therein 1t is known to the Ameri
can government how Germany's ad
versaries, by completely paralyzin,
peaceable traffic between German,
and neutral countries, have aimee
from the very beginning and with in
creasing lack of consideration at tn,
destruction not SO much of the armet
forces as the life of the German n
ton, repudiating in doing so all til
rules of international law and disr
garding all rights Of neutrals.
Son November 5, 1914, EnglanI
declared the North sea war ard
and by planting poorly anchore|
mines and by the stoppage and ca
ture of vessels made passage ed
tremely dangerous and difficult I'D
neutral shipping, so (by) that az
tuaily blockading neutral coasts AMI
ports contrary to all internationd
law. Long before the beginning d
submarine war England practically
intercepted legitimate neutral nav|
cation to Germany also Thus Gel
many was driven to submarine wa
on trade. On November IA, 1914
the Ell glish premier declared In th|
House of Commons that 1t was on|
Of England's principle tasks to prA
vent food for the German population
from reaching Germany via neutrd
ports. Since March l England ha
been taking from neutral ships with
out further formalitJ all merchandis
proceeding to Germany, as well a
all merchandise coming from Ger
many, even when neutral property
Just as 1t was also with the Beers
the German people Is now to be givel
the choice of perishing irsm starva
ton with It's women and children O
OF relinquishing its independence.
"While our enemies thus loudl
and openly proclaimed without mere
until our utter destruction, we wer
conducting a war in self-defense 70
our national existence and for tn
sake OF peace Of an assured perma
nency. We have been Obliged Il