Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-22
u. s. MAKES REPLY
TO MEMORANDUM
Continues From Page y
department made it public tonight.
Text Of Note

Text Of Note
The text Of the note follows:
Your Excellency: I have given
thoughtful consideration to Your Ex-
cellency'. note of the fourth OF April
1915. inclosing a memorandum OF the
same date, in which Your Excellency
discusses the action Of this govern
ment with regard to trade between
the United States and Germany and
the attitude of this government with
regard to the expectation Of arms
from the United States TO the nations
now at war with Germany.
u must admit that l am somewhat
at a loss how 10 interpret Your Ex-
cellency's treatment Of these matters.
There are many circumstances con-
nected with these important subjects
to with l would have expected Your
Excellency to advert, but Of which you
make no mention, and there are other
circumstances to which you do refer
With l would have supposed to be
hardly appropriate for discussion be-
tween the government of the United
States and the government Of Ger
many.
Il shall take the liberty, therefore.
Of regarding Your Excellency's ref
erences to the course pursued by the
government Of the United States with
regard to interfersnces with trade
from this country, such as the govern
rent Of Great Britain has attempted,
as intended merely to illustrate more
! f,-fy, ~.y, 70 nh Il a.
sire to call our attention and not as
an invitation to discuss that course
Your Excellency's long experience IN
international affairs will have sug-
gested TO you that these relations OF
the two governments with one an
other cannot wisely be made sub
iect Of discussion with third govern
n7ent which cannot be fully informed
as 10 the facts, and which cannot be
fully cognizant Of the reasons for the
course pursued I believe. however.
that am jusried in assuming that
what YOU desire to call forth is
frank statement Of the position Of this
government in regard to its obliga-
tons as neutral power. Tne genera
attitude and course OF policy Of this
government in the maintenance OF its
neutrality / am particularly anxious
that Your Exceilency should see n
their true light. had hoped that this
governments position in these re-
spects had been made a5undantly
clear, but I am Of course perfectly
. willing % state il again. This seems
to be the more necessary and desirable
because. regret TO say, the language
which Your E1cellency employs in
yo1,r memorandum is susceptible OF
being construed as impugning the
good faith Of the United States in the
performance of its duties as neutral
take it for granted that no such I'M
plication was intended, but Il IS 50 cF-
ident that Your Excellency IS laooring
under certain false impressions that !
cannot be too explicit in setting forth
the facts as they are when fully re-
viewed and conlprehenced.
III the first place this government
has at no time and in TO manner yield
ed any one OF its rights as neutral
70 aay ore # the present beillgerents-
II has acknowledged, as matter 81
course the right of visit and search
ard the right TO apply the rules "f
contra band Of war to articles OF COM
merce. 1t has. indeed. insisted upon
the use Of visit and search as an alb
solutely necessary guard against mis-
taking neutral vessels for vessels
owned by an enemy and against mis-
taking legal cargoes for illegal 1t has
admitted also the right OF blockade II
actually exercised and effectively
maintained. These are merely the we'll
known limitations which war places
upon neutral commerce on the high
seas. But nothing beyond these has IL
conceded call Your Excellency's at
tent!on to this, Notwithstanding 1t is
already known to all the world as
consequence Of the publication OF our
correspondence in regard to these mat
tiers with several of the belligerent ma
tons, because l cannot assume that
you have Official cognizance of it.
In the second place, this govern
ment attempted to secure from the
German and British governments mu-
tual concessions with regard to the
measures those governments respec-
lively adopted for the interruption OF
trade on the high seas This it did, not
Of right, but merely as exercising the
privileges of sincere friend of both
parties and as indicating its impartial
good will. The attempt was unsuccess-
full: but l regret that Your Excellency
did not deem it worthy of mention in
modification of the impressions you
expressed. We had hoped that this
act on our part had shown our spirit
in these times of distressing was as
our diplomatic correspondence had
shown our steadfast refusal to ac-
knowledge the right Of any belligerent
to alter the accepted rules Of war at
sea insofar as they affect the rights
and interests Of neutrals.
I'm the third place 1 note with sincere
regret that in discussing the sale and
expectation of arms by citizens of the
United States to the enemies of Germa-
ny, Your Excellency seems to be under
the impression that 1t was within the
choice Of the government of the United
States, notwithstanding its professed
neutrality and its diligent efforts to
maintain 1t in other particulars. to inhibil
this trade. and that it's failure to do SO
manifest an unfair attitude towards Ger
many. This government holds, as I be-