The Raymer enterprise., 1916-05-11

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
sase their lives.
Berlin. Germany tby wireless via
5aSpitte. m ". May Following is
the text OF the note OF the German
government In reply to the American
note respecting submarine warfare.
delivered yesterday by Gottlieh Won
jagow, The foreign secretary. to Am
bassador Gerard:
The undersigned, on behalf OF the
imperial German government. has the
honor TO present to his exeellency. the
ambassador OF the United States, MIR.
James w. Gerard. the following reply
10 the note OF April 20 regarding the
conduct OF German submarine war
fare:
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
torpedood by German submarine Is
actually Identical with the Sussex.
Looking Into tho Sussex Case.
The German government begs 10
reserve further communication on the
matter untll certain points are ascer
taincd which are Of decisive import.
ance for establishing the facts in the
case. Should II turn out that the com.
nander ~as wrong In assuming the
vessel TO be man.ot-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 series OF statements the
gist Of which Ia the assertion that the
Incident is to be considered but one In.
stance OF a deliberate method of indis.
crtminate destruction of vessels OF all
sorts. naiionallties and destinations by
German submarine commanders.
Repudiate Charge by U. s.
Tho German government must EN-.
phatically repudiate the assertion. The
German government. however. thinks
IL Of little avail to enter into detalls
In the present stage OF affairs. more
particularly al the government OF the
United States omitted to substantiate
the assertion by reference to concrete
facts
THE German government will only
state that II has imposed farreachIng
restraints upon the use of the subma
rine weapon. solely In consideration oi
neutral interests, In spite OF the tact
that these restrictions are necessarily
OF advantage to Garmany's enemies
No such consideration has ever been
shown neutrals by Great Britain and
her allies
Orders international Law Obeyed.
"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 destruction OF mer
chant vessels recognized by Interna
tlonal 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 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
The German government canno,
admit any doubt that these order,
were given or are executed in good
faith Errors actually occurred They
can IN no kind Of warfare be avoided
altogether Allowances must be mad,
In the conduct of naval warfare
against an enemy resorting To al
kinds OF ruses whether permissible O,
illicit
Danger Can't se Avoided.
= 'Rut apart from the possibility o
errors, naval warfare. Just like war
fare on land. implies unavoidable dan
gers for neutral persons and goods en-
tering the Gghting zone. Even II
cases where the naval action il con
fined to ordinary forms OF cruisel
warfare. neutral persons and goods re
peatedly come to grief
"The German government has re
peatedly and explicitly pointed out thu
dangers from mines that have led Il
the loss OF numerous ships.
Proposals Are Not Accepted.
The German government has mad,
several proposals 10 the governmen,