Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-05-12

Says Every Consideration 10
Shown NeutraIs In Restraint OF Sub
marine Warefare - Partially lie
Charged to United States and Sale
OF Munitions Is Cited as Evidence.
The German admiralty has ls-
sued a new order to commanders
OF submarines that no more mer-
chant vessels are to be sunk with
out first being visited and
searched and that the people on
board are to be given a chance to
save their lives.
Berlin. Germany (by wireless via
&sayville. N. ", May 5.--Following is
the text Of the note OF the German
government in reply to the American
note respecting submarine warfare,
delivered yesterday by Gottlieb Won
Jagow, the foreign secretary, to Am
bassador Gerard:
1.-THE undersigned, ON behalf of the
imperial German government. has the
honor to present to his exceIlency, the
ambassador Of the United States, Mr..
James w. Gerard, the following reply
to the note of April 20 regarding the
conduct of German submarine war
fare:
1.-THE German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communi-
Gated by the government Of the United
States. Judging by the results that
the investigation has hitherto yielded,
the German government is alive to the
possibility that the ship mentioned in
the note of April 10 as having been
torpedoed by a German submarine is
actually identical with the Sussex.
Looking Into the Sussex Case.
@'The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned which are of decisive import
ance for establishing the facts in the
case. Should it turn out that the COM
mander was wrong in assuming the
vessel to be a man-of-war. the German
government will not fail to draw the
consequence resulting therefrom.
in connection with the case of the
Sussex the government of the United
States made a series OF statements the
gist Of which is the assertion that the
incident is to be considered but one in
stance of deliberate method of indis-
criminate destruction of vessels of all
sorts, nationalities and destinations by
German submarine commanders.
Repudiate Charge by U. s.
THE German government must en-
phatically repudiate the assertion. The
German government, however, thinks
il of little avail to enter into details
in the present stage of affairs, more
particularly as the government Of the
United States omitted to substantiate
the assertion by reference to concrete
facts.
''The German government will only
state that 1t has imposed far-reaShing
restraints upon the use of the subma
rine weapon, solely in consideration Oh
neutral interests, In spite of the fact
that these restrictions are necessarily
of advantage to Germany's enemies
No such consideration has ever beer
shown neutrals by Great Britain and
her allies.
Orders international Law obeyed.
1.-THE German submarine force.
have had. in fact, orders to conduct
the submarine warfare in accordance
with the general principles Of visi
and search and the destruction OF NOR
chant vessels recognized by interna
tional law, the sole exception being
the conduct of warfare against enemy
trade carried on enemy freight ships
encountered in the war zone sur
rounding Great Britain. With regart
to these no assurances have eve
been given to the government of ths
United States. No such assurances
are contained In the declaration o
February 8, 1916.
THE German government canno
admit any doubt that these orders
were given or are executed in COCO
faith. Errors actually occurred. They
can in no kind of warfare be avoided
altogether. Allowances must be made
In the conduct of naval warfare
against an enemy resorting to al
kinds of ruses, whether permissible Oh
Illicit.
Danger Can't Be Avoided.
But apart from the possibility OF
errors. naval warfare. just like war
fare on land, implies unavoidable dan
gers for neutral persons and goods en-
tering the fighting zone. Even in
cases where the naval action is con
fined to ordinary forms of cruiser
warfare, neutral persons and goods re
peatedly come to grief.
"The German government has re
peatedly and explicitly pointed out the
dangers from mines that have led to
the loss Of numerous ships.
Proposals Are Not Accepted.
''The German government has made
aeveral proposals TO the government