Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-07-13
GERMANY'S REPLY TO AMERICAN
NOTE ON THE LJS|TAN|A ISSUE|
Refuses to Guarantee Protection to American
Passengers on BeI|igerent Ships
Situation Now at Crisis.

how Germany's adversaries, by COM
pletely paralyzing peaceable traffic be-
tween Germany and neutral countries,
have aimed from the very beginning
and with increasing lack Of considera-
ton at the destruction, not so much
Of the armed forces as the life of the
German nation, repudiating in doing
SO all the rules OF international law
and disregarding all rights Of neutrals.
North Sea War Area.
"On November 8, 1914, England de-
clared the North Sea a war area and
by planting poorly anchored mines and
by the stoppage and capture OF YES
sells made passage extremely dangerous
and difficult for neutral shipping, by
that actually blockading neutral coasts
and ports contrary to all international
law. Long before the beginning Of
submarine warfare England practical
ly completely intercepted legitimate
neutral navigation to Germany also.
Thus Germany was driven to a sub
marine war on trade.
ION November IA, 1914, the English
Premier declared in the House Of Com
mons that it was one of England's
principal tasks to prevent food for the
German population from reaching Ger
many via neutral ports. Since March
1 England has been taking from neu-
trail ships without further formality
all merchandise proceeding to Ger
many, as well as all merchandise COM
ing from Germany. even when neutral
property. Just as it was also with
the Beers the German people is now
to be given the choice Of perishing
from starvation, with its women and
children, or of relinguishing independ
ence.
War "For Sake OF Peace"
while our enemies thus loudly and
openly proclaim war without mercy I'M
til our utter destruction, we were con-
Quoting war in self-defense for our
national existence and for the sake of
peace of an assured permanency. We
have been obliged to adopt submarine
warfare to meet the declared intention
of our enemies and the method of war
fare adopted by them in contravention
of international law.
with all its efforts in principle to
protect neutral life and property from
damage as much as possible, the Ger
man Government recognized unreserv-
eddy In its memorandum of February
that the interests of neutrals might sui
fer from the submarine warfare. How
ever, the American Government will
also understand and appreciate that in
the fight for existence which has been
forced upon Germany by its adversaries
and announced by them, 1t is the sacred
duty of the Imperial Government to do
all with its power to protect and save
the lives of German subjects. II the
Imperial Government were derelict in
these, its duties, it would be guilty be-
fore God and history of the violation Of
those principles Of highest humanity
which are the foundation Of every ma
tional existence.
Blames Adversares.
THE case of the Lusitania shows
with horrible clearness TO what leopard
izing of human lives the manner of con-
Quoting war employed by our adver-
saries leads. In the most direct con-
tradiction of international law, all dis
tinctions between merchantmen and
war vessels have been obliterated by
the order to British merchantmen to
arm themselves and to ram submarines,
and the promise of rewards therefor,
and neutrals who use merchantmen as
travellers thereby have been exposed in
an increasing degree to all the dangers
of war.
Sparina LusItanla Would Have En-
dangered U-Boat
"If the commander of the German
submarine which destroyed the Lusi-
tania had caused the crew and passen-
| gers TO take to the boats before firing a
| torpedo this would have meant the
sure destruction Of his own vessel. Aft
er the experiences in sinking much
smaller and less seaworthy vessels, 1t
was to be expected that mighty ship
like the Lusitania would remain above
water long enough even after the tor
pedoing to permit passengers to enter
| the ships boats Circumstances Of a
very peculiar kind, especially the pres
ence on board Of large quantities OF
! highly explosive materials (word omit
ted possibly "dissipated'D this ex-
pectation In addition, 1t may be
| pointed out that II the Lusitania had
| been spared thousands of cases Of am
munition would have been sent to Ger
many's enemies and thereby thousands
of German mothers and children
robbed of bread winners.
In the spirit of friendship where
with the German nation has been i'm
| bued toward the Union and its in
habitants since the earliest days OF
! its existence, the Imperial Govern
ment will always be ready to do all
it can during the present war also to
prevent the jeopardizing Of lives of
American citizens. The Imperial
| Government, therefore, repeats the
assurances that American ships will
not be hindered in the prosecution of
legitimate shipping and the lives of
! American citizens in neutral vessels
shall not be placed in jeopardy.