New Britain herald., 1916-01-15
NEUTRAL BOARD PROBE IN
 BARALONG CASE REJECTED
 BY GERMAN GOVERNMENT TeutOns Claim Great Britain No Longer De- sires to Observe Requirements of Interna-
 tional Law in Regard to Submarines BREAKS OFF NEGOTIATIONS ON SUBJECT WITH BRITISH REGIME

Take ReprisaIs-Threc Other Inci-
 dents in Which it Is Charged Teu-
 in U-Boat Operations Also An
 swered.
 1 Berlin, Jan. 15, by Wireless to Say ville-In it's reply to the British gov ernment in the Baralong case, the text of which was made public here today, Germany takes the ground that esreat Britain no longer desires to ob- serve the requirements of interna- tional law in regard to German suD- marines, and breaks off negotiations on this subject. In addition to an- nouncing it's decision to take meas ureS of reprisal, as made known yes- terday, the German government re- jects Great Britain's proposal for eN- animation by a neutral board of the Baralong incident and also of three cases in which, it is charged, Germany violated international law in subna- rine operations. The note was de- livered to Great Britain through he ' American embassy.
 Text of Reply.
 E"The British government answered the German memorandum in the Baralong case by expressing doubts, on the one hand, of the correctness of the facts communicated by the Ger man government, and by making an accusation, on the other hand, against Germany military and naval forces cf having deliberately committed count less crimes against international law and humanity which had been unpun- ished and compared with which the alleged offense of the captain and crew of the Baralong fades into ln- significance. The British govern ment has contented itself with men tioning, without any evidence, three incidents in connection with naval warfare in which German officers are alleged to have committed atrocities in violation of international law.
 'The British government proposed | an investigation of these cases by a court composed of American maya. of fcers, and under this condition is ready to submit the Baralong case to the same court.''
 Protests Accusations.
 'The German government protests most sharply against the unprece dented and unprOvoked accusations of the British government in regard to the German army and navy, and the imputatio nthat the German author ities have not dealt with any such crimes as have come to their atten- ton. The German army and navy in this war observe the principles of h. 9ternational law and humanity, and the higher authorities insist that Tn the event offenses are committed they shall be investigated most C.osaiy and punished sternly.
 'The three cases mentioned by the British government were investigated thoroughly at the time by competent German authorities.
 Upholds Submarine Commander.
 First in the case of the sinking of the Arabic by a German submarine, the investigation showed that the sub- marine commander was forced by cir cumstances to draw the conclusion that the steamer was attempting to ram his craft. He therefore believed himself to be acting in justifable self defense when he attacked the ship. P .'The second case mentioned-the attack of a German destroyer upon British submarine-occurred in this manner: A fight developed in those waters between two WarShlpS, in Which the submarine defended itself by gull fire. The British government can have little ground for advancing the charge that Danish neutrality was vio- lated by the German attack in view of the fact that British naval forces in series of cases attacked German ships in neutral waters.
 Measures of Reprisal
 Finally, in the case of the e&estruc- ton of the British steamer Ruel, tie German submarine merely applied measures of reprisal announced by Germany in February, 1915. These z measures are in harmony with inter- national law, because England is en- FSdeaVoring by illegal means to tie lp the legitimate maritime commerce be- j tween Germany and neutral countries, to cut off Germany from all imports and thereby StarVe the German people. Appropriate reprisals are permissible against measures in violation of inter- national law.
 Tn all three cases the German naval forces intended only to destroy hostile ships, and in no way to siay helpless persons who were attempting To save their lives. The assertions to the contrary of the British govern ment must be repudiated with all de- cisiyeness as untrue.'
 Rejects British Proposal.
 ''The German government is of the opinion that it must reject as inaccept-
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