The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-05-09
American Note Takes Strong
Ground in Rejection of
This Postulate.
WILL NOT QUARREL
IF PLEDGE is KEPT
Lansing Says the Teutonic En-
pire Has Yielded to Represen-
atiOns Against Illegal War
fare and Fulfillment of That
Is Only Thing Necessary to
Maintain Relations.

Washington. May S.--A note cabled
by Secretary Lansing to Ambassador
r Gerard to-day for delivery to the Ber-
lin foreign office informs the German
government that the United States
accepts Germany's declaration of it's
abandonment" Of its former subma-
rine policy and now relies upon a
scrupulous execution Of the altered
poBcy to remove the principal danger
OF an interruption OF the good rela-
tfons existing between the two coun-
tries.
With this acceptance is coupled
formal notice to Germany that the
United States can not for a moment
entertain. much less discuss, sug-
gestion that respect by German naval
authorities for the rights of citizens
of the United States on the high
seas should in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct OF
any other government affecting the
rights Of neutrals and noncombat-
ants. This Is in reply to the con-
Guiding statement in the last German
note to the effect that while subma-
rine commanders had been ordered
to sink no peaceful freight or passen-
ger carrying ships without warning
or without safety for passengers and
crew. the German government would
reserve to itself complete liberty of
decision unless the United States was
successful in its efforts to break the
British blockade.
Question OF Performance
Secretary Lansing issued state
ment tonight saying that the greater
part Of Germany's answer to the de-
mand Of the United States was de-
voted to matters which the American
government could not discuss with
the Berlin government, but he con-
sidered Germany had yielded to our
representations" and that 1--WE can
have no reason to quarrel with her"
so long as the altered policy is lived
mp to.
Following is the text of the note
cabled to-day by Secretary Lansing to
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin with
instructions to deliver 1t to the Ger
man minister OF foreign affairs.
"The note of the imperial German
government under date of, May 4.
1915. has received careful considera-
tion by the government of the United
States. II Is especially noted, as in
dfcating the purpose Of the imperial
government as to the future. that II
'is prepared to do its utmost to con-
fine the operation OF the war for the
rest OF its duration to the lighting
forces Of the belligerents' and that IT
is determined to impose upon all its
commanders at sea the limitations OF
the recognized rules OF international
law upon which the government OF
the United States has insisted.
Throughout the months which
have elapsed since the imperial gov
ernment announced on February 4 +.
1915. its submarine policy. now hap
PLY abandoned. the government OF
the United States has been constantly
guided and restrained by motives Of
friendship in Its patient efforts 70
bring to an amicable settlement the
critical questions arising from that
policy. Accepting the imperial gov
ernment's declaration OF its abandon
ment OF the policy which has so Sc
riously menaced the good relations
between the two countries. the gov
ernment OF the United States will re-
ly upon scrupulous execution hence
forth OF the now altered policy OF the
imperial government such as will re-
move the principal danger to an in
terruption Of the good relations ex-