Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-07-30
FULL TEXT OF PRESIDENTS
LATEST NOTE. TO GERMANY.
The Secretary of State to AM
baSsador Gerard

OdSSdOOT OefdIO:
Department of State.
Washington, July 21, 1915.
You are instructed to deliver
textually the following note to the
minister for foreign affairs
The note OF the Imperial Ger
man Government, dated the 9Th
of July, 1915, has received the
careful consideration of the gov
erpmen. of the United States
and it regrets to be obliged to
say that it has found it very un-
satisfactory, because it fails to
meet the real differences between
the two governments, and indi-
Gates no way in which the ac-
copied principles of law and hui
mainly may be applied in the
grave matter in controversy, but
proposes, on the contrary, ar.
rangements for partial suspen'
sion of those principles which
virtually set them aside.
AMERICAN CONTENTION ADMITTED
The government OF the United
States notes with satisfaction
that the Imperial German CO.
eminent recognizes without res
ervation the validity of the prin'
ciple insisted on in several com.
municatio which this govern.
ment has addressed to the I'M
perial German Government with
regard to its announcement of q
war zone and the use of sub-ma
rines against merchantmen or
the high seas-the principle tina
the high seas are free, that the
character and cargo of a mer'
chairman must first be ascer.
tanned before she can law
fully be seized or destroyed, and
that the lives of noncombatants
may in no case be put in jeopardy
unless the vessel reSists or seeks
to escape after being summoned
to submit to examination for a
belligerent act of retaliation is
per Sc an act beyond the law.
and the defense Of an act retalia.
tory is an admission that it is
illegal.
DISAPPOINTED AT GERMAN
COURSE.
The government of the United
States is, however, keenly disap-
pointed to find tina. the imperial
German government regards itself
as in large degree exempt from
the obligation to observe these
principles, even where neutral
vessels are concerned, by what
it believes the policy and prac-
tice of the government of Great
Britain to be in the present war
with regard to neutral commere e
The imperial German govern
ment will readily understand that
the government of the United
States cannot discuss the policy
of the government of Great Brit
ain with regard to neutral trade
except with that government it.
self, and that it must regard the
conduct of other belligerent gov
ernments as irrelevant to any
discussion with the imperial Ger.
man government of what this
government regards as grave and
unjustlfable violations of the
rights of American citizeus by
German naval commanders.
MUST NOT INJURE NEUrRALs.
Illegal and inhuman acts, how
ever, justiiable they may be
thought to be against an enemy
who is believed to have acted in
contravention of law and human
ity, are manifestly indefensible
when they deprive neutrals OF
their acknowledged rights, par
ticularly when they violate the
right of life itself. If a belIig-
erent 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 dig
nifty of neutral powers, should
dictate that the practice be dis
continued. If persisted in. it
would in such circumstances con
stitute an objectionable offens
against the sovereignty of the
neutral nation affected. The
government of the United States
is not unmindful of the extraor
dininary conditions created by|
this war of the radical altera.
tions of circumstance and methc 4
of attack produced BY the use Of
instrumentalities of naval war !.
fare which the nations of the
world cannot have had id view
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