Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1916-05-12

lives.
| Berlin. Germany's reply TO the
| American note respecting submarine
| warfare. delivered by Foreign Secre-
| tary Won Jagow to Ambassador Ge-
| rard, is as follows:
| The undersigned, on behalf of the I'M
| perial German government, has the honor
| to present to his excellency the ambassa-
| dor of the United States. James w. &C.
| rard, the following reply to the note OF
| April 20 regarding the conduct of German
submarine warfare
The German government handed over
| to the proper naval authorities for carry
| investigation the evidence concerning Inc
Sussex as communicated by the govern
| ment of the United States. Judging py
| the results that the investigation mas
! hitherto yielded the German government
| is alive to the possibility that the snip
| mentioned in the note of April IL as nav
| ing been torpedoed by a German supIna-
| rine is actually Identical with the Sus-
| sex.
| The German government begs to re-
serve further communication on the SUB
| ject until certain points are aseertalned
which are of decisive importance Tor es-
| tabllshing the facts in the case
Should it turn out that the commander
! was wrong in assuming the vessel to be
| a man-of-war, the German government
| will not fail to draw the consequences re-
| sulting therefrom
Denies Deliberate Intent.
In connection with the case of the Sus-
sex the government of the United States
| made a series of statements, the glst OF
which is the assertion that the incident is
| to be considered but one instance of
4 Il i,,1i Vftr0lr To
| struction of vessels of all sorts, national
| tiles and destinations by German subma-
| rne commanders.
The German government must emphat-
| ically repudiate the assertion. The Ger
| man government, however, thinks 1T of
| little avail TO enter into details In the
| present stage of affairs, more particular
| ly as the government of the United States
| omitted to Substantiate the assertion by
reference to concrete facts.
The German government will only state
| that it has imposed far-reaching re-
straints upon the of the submarine
| weapon, solely in consideration of neu-
| trails interests in spite of the fact that
these restrictions are necessarily of ad-
vantage to Germany's enemies No such
| consideration has ever been shown neu-
| trails by Great Britain and her allies.
The German submarine forces have had,
| in fact, orders to conduct the submarine
warfare in accordance with the general
principles of visit and search and the de-
| struction of merchant vessels recognized
| by international law, the sole exception
| being the conduct of warfare against enc
my trade carried enemy freight ships
| encountered IN the war zone surrounding
Great Britain. With regard to these, no
| assurances have ever been given to the
government of the United States. No
such assurances are contained in the
| declaration of February s. 1916
Makes Further Concession.
AS the German government repeatedly
| declared it cannot dispense with the use
| of the submarine weapon IN the conduct
| of warfare against enemy trade. The
German government, however has now
| decided to make it a further concession.
| adapting methods of submarine war to
| the interests of neutrals.
In reaching this decision the German
government is actuated by considerations
| which are above the level of the disputed
| question.
The German government attaches. no
| less importance to the sacred principles
| of humanity than the government of the
| United States. 1t again fully takes into
| account that both governments for many
| years co-operated in developing interna-
| tional law in conformity with these prin-
| ciples, the ultimate object of which has
| always been to confine warfare on sea
| and land to armed forces of belligerents
| and to safeguard as far as possible nom
| combatants against the horrors of war
| But although these considerations are Of
| great weight. they alone would not under
| present circumstances have determined
| the attitude of the German government.
| For in answer to the appeal by the gov
| eminent of the United States on behalf
| of the sacred principles of humanity and
| international law, the German govern
| ment must repeat once more with all
| emphasis. that it was not the German
but the British government which ignored
| all accepted rules of international law and
| extended this terrific war to the lives and
property of noncombatants.
| In self-defense against the illegal con-
| duct of British warfare. while fighting a
| bitter struggle for. national existence
| Germany had to resort to the hard but
effective weapon of submarine warfare
| AS matters. stand the German govern
ment cannot but reiterate regret that the
| sentiments of humanity which the govern
| ment of the United States extends with
! such fervor TO the unhappy victims of
| submarine warfare are not extended with
| the same warmth of feeling to manv
| millions of women and children who. ac-
cording to the avowed intention of the
| British govern ent. shall be starved. and
| VINO. oy SOuef N9S. snail force the vic
| torious armies .. th- entral powers into
| lgnominious capitulatiol.,
Accuses U. S. of Favoritisn,.
The German government in agree
| ment with the German people. fails to
| understand the discrimination. all the
more as it has repeatedly and explicit
| ly declared itself ready to use the SUBJ
| marine weapon in strict conformity
| with the rules of International law. as
| recognized before the outbreak of the
| war. if Great Britain likewise was
! ready to adapt her conduct of warfare
4 to these rules.
Sound to Happen.
rs there man within the sound of