Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-12
German Complaint
of Our Neutrality
DEPRECATES FURNISHING ARMS
TO HER ENEMIES
ONESIDED ACTION
Not Satisfied With "PureIy Theoretical
Willingness" to Supply Germany
With Foodstuffs.

Washington, April 11@Count Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassador,
made public the text of the note which
he recently presented to the state de-
partment declaring that IF the Amer
lean people wish to observe true neu-
trality they will find means to stop
the exclusive expectation of arms to
one side. or at least to use this export
trade as a means to uphold the legit-
innate trade with Germany and espe-
cially the trade in foodstuffs."
The memorandum was prepared at
the German embassy and while it does
ment already has drafted one which
will be delivered probably within the
next few days.
The ambassador in his complaint
informs the United States that. con-
trary to the real spirit of neutrality
an enormous new industry Of war ma
terial of every kind is being built up
in this country and that this is sup
plying only Germany's enemies, fact
which is in no way modified by the
purely theoretical willingness to fur
nish Germany as well, if it were pos
sible"
The text of the memoranda follows:
Shipment of Food to Germany Prac-
ticaIly Impossible.
"The different orders in council have
altered the universally recognized rules
of international law in such a one
| sided manner that they arbitrarily
suppress the trade Of neutral coun-
| tries with Germany. Already prior to
the last order in council the shipment
of conditional contrabands, especially
foodstuffs to Germany, was practically
| impossible. In fact. prior to the pro-
| test which the American government
| made in London on December %. 1914.
not a single shipment of such goods
| for Germany has been effected from
the United States. Also after the lodg
| ing of the protest, as far as is known
| to the Germany embassy, only one
such shipment has been attempted by
an American skipper. Ship and cargo
were Immediately seized by the British
and are still detained at a British port>
| AS a. pretext for this unwarranted ac-
| ton the British government referred
| to a decree of the German federal
| council concerning the wheat trade.
although this decree only Covered
wheat and flour and no other food
stuffs, although imported foodstuffs
were especially exempt from this de-
! cree and although the German gov
ern1nent had given all necessary guar
| antees to the United States govern
ment and had even proposed a special
organization in order to secure these
foodstuffs fr the exclusive consump-
ton of the civilian population.
Tells of EnqIand's Law Violations.
'"The seizure of an American ship
under these circumstances was in con-
| tradiction with the recognized principle
| of international law. Nevertheless the
United States government has not yet
| obtained the release of the ship, nor
| has it after eight months of war sue
ceeded in safeguarding the legitimate
American trade with Germany. Such
| a delay, especially when the supply
| of foodstuffs is cncerned, seems equiv
| alent to complete failure. 1t is, there
| fore to be assumed that the United
| States government has accepted Eng
| lands violations of international law.
| Furthermore there has to be con-
| sidered the attitude of the governm ent
of the United States concerning the
| question of expectation of war ma
| terial. The imperial embassy hopes
| to agree with the government of the
United States of neutrality is not the
| only formal side to be considered. but
also the spirit in which neutrality is
| enforced.
| Conditions in the present war are
| different from those in any former
| wars. For this reason it is not JUS
| titled to point at the fact that per-
| haps in former wars Germany furnish
| ed belligerents with war material; be-
| cause in those former cases the ques-
| ton was not whether any war ma
| terial was to be furnished to the bel
| ligerents, but merely which one of
the competing countries would fur
| nish it. In the present war, with the
| exception Of the United States, all the
countries capable of noteworthy pro-
| duction of war material are either at
| war themselves or completing their
| ornaments and have accordingly pro-
hibited the expectation of war ma
| terial. Therefore the United States of
America is the only country in a po-
| sftion to export war material. This
fact ought to give a new meaning to
the idea of neutrality, independent of
the formal law.
New Industry Of War Materials.
Instead Of that and in contradic-
ton with the real spirit Of neutrality,
an enormous new industry of war
materials of every kind is being built
not only the existing plants are kept
busy and enlarged, but also new ones
are continually founded.
-AThe international agreements for
the protection of the right Of neutrals
originate in the necessity Of protectinR
the existing industries of the neutral
countries. They were never intended
to encourage the creation Of entirely
new industries in neutral states as
for instance, the new war industry in
the United States, which supplies only
one party Of the belligerents.
"In reality the American industry is
supplying only Germany's enemies. 8
fact which is in no way modified by
the purely theoretical willingness tc
furnish Germany as well. If it were
possible.
Means to Uphold Legitimate Trade.
eff the American people desire tc
observe true neutrality they will find
means to stop the exclusive expor-
tatton Of arms to one side. or at Least
to use this export trade as means tx
uphold the legitimate trade with Ger
many, especially the trade in food
stuffs. This spirit of neutrality should
appear the more justified to the United
States as It has been maintained
towards Mexico.