Cheyenne record., 1916-05-18
REPLY TO BERLIN NOTE
OBSERVANCE Of NEW ORDERS
TO PREVENT SEVERANCE.
Germany Told Safety of American
Lives Cannot Be Made. Conditional
onWay England Proseeutes War.

Western Newspapef Union News Service u;
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is the: text
of the, note 'cabled by Secretary Lam.
sing to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin
with instructions to deliver 1t to the
Germah minister Of foreign affairs:
The note of the imperial German
government under date Of May 4..1s1s.
has. 'receiYad careful eoIsideration BY
4 ias !. hs Hnsa s.a,ss
purpose of the imperial government As
to the future. that. II Is prepared to
do its utmost to confine the operation
of the war for the rest OF its dur ration
to the fighting forcss' of the beilifer-
ents. and that ~ IL determined to Inn
pose upon az Its coranianders At sea
the limit attons of the recognized rules
OF international law, upon which the.
government Of the United States has
Throughout the months which have
elapsed since the imperial government
announced, on Feb. I, 1918, its sub
marine policy now v, happily ,S
strained by motives Of friendship in
Its patient efforts to bring to an ami
arising from that policy.
accepting the imperial govern
Of the policy which has SO seriously
menaced the good relations between
the two countries. the government of
Ine Un1Led states Will rely upon q
scrupuIous execution henceforth Of the
now altered policy of the imperial gov
ernment such as will remove the prin-.
good relations existing between the
s"The government Of the United
stas sses feels Il er L S. sS state ha
Intend to imply that the maintenance
an any w way CONTINGENT i upon ph the course Sc
government Of the United States and
sss fast
ages Of the Imperial governments note
Of the 4th inst. might appear to ba
IN order, however. to avoid any
possible Misunderstanding. the gov
ernment of the United States notifies
not for moment entertain. much less
discuss, q suggestion that respect by
the German naval authorities for the
upon the high seas should in any way
or In the slightest degree be made
contingent upon the conduct Of any
of neutrals and noncombatants. Re-
not Joint: absolute, not relative"
after the % note vas " on its Wsy. % to si Bsr-
sThe srsatsr part Of the German
this government cannot discuss with
questions que q RI TIT Which can ). ais
sSo:s arising s oas ssae Of r. :eeon out
+ Of our own and in no event those 9ues-
tions which. are the subject Of diRios;
States and any ether country.
."The essence Of the answer II that
Germany Yields to our representations
with regard to the rights Of merchant
ships and noncombatants on the high
seas and engages to observe the req
ognized rules of international law
submarines against merchant ships. So
long as she lives up to this altered
policy we can have no reason to quar-
rel with her on that score. though the
Losses resulting from the violation OF
American rights by German submarine
er policy will have to be settled.
while our differences with Great
Britain cannot form q subject OF dis
cussion with Germany, IT should be
stated that in our dealings with the
British government we are acting =
view of the explicit treaty engage
ments with that government We
have treaty obligations ~ to the man
ner in which matters in dispute be-
tween the two governments are to be
I'VE offered to assume mutually
similar obligations with Germany, but
the offer was declined. When, how
ever the subject in dispute 10 oon-
ttnuing menace to American lives IL -
doubtful whether such obligations ap-
ply unlexs the menace Is removed our.
ing the tendency of the proceeoings.
Ecren MAYOR nv eSaS.