The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-05

guided not alone by the friend ship connecting the. two great ma tions for over 100 years but also by the thought of the great doom which threatens the entire civi7- ized world should the cruel and sapguinary war be extended and prolonged.
 The German government, con- scious of Germany's strength, twice within the last few months announced before the world it's readiness to make peace on a, ba- sis safeguarding Germany's vital interests, thus indicating that it is not Germany's fault if peace is still withheld from the nations of Europe The German government feels all the more justified in de- claring that responsibility could not be borne before the forum of mankind and in history if, after 21 months of the wars duration, the submarine question under dis cussion between the German gov -ernment and the government of the United States were to take a turn seriously threatening main tenance of peace between the two nations.
 As far as is the case with the German government, it wishes to prevent things from taking such a cuurse. The German govern ment, moreover, is prepared to GO it's utmost to conf1ne operations of the war for the rest of its dur alton to the fighting forces of the belligerent, thereby also insuring freedom of the seas, a principle upon which the German govern ment believes, now as before, that it is in agreement with he gov ernment of the United States.
 The German government guided by this idea, notifies the government of the United States that German naval forces have re- ceived the following order.
 s'In accordance with the gen. eraI principles of visit and search and the destruction of merchant vessels recognized by international law such vessels. both within and without the area declared a naval war zone, shall not be sunk with out warning and without saving. huInan lives unless the ship at- tempt to escape or offer resist ance."
 But neJtnals cannot expect Germany. forced to fight for. ex- istence, shall, for the sake of neutral interests, restrict the use of an effective weapon if the enemy is permitted to continue to apply at will methods of war fare violating rules of interna- tionaI law. Such a demand would be incompatible with the character of neutrality and the German government is convinced that the government of the United States does not think of s making such a demand, knowing that the government of the United States has repeatedly de- clared that it is determined to restore the principle of freedom of the seas, from whatever quar- ter it has been violateds
 Accordingly, the German gov ernment is confident that in con seqr4 ence of the new orders issued to the naval forces, the govern lnentl of the United States will also now consider all inpediments removed which may have been in the way of mutual cooperation toward restora ton of the freedom of the seas during the war, as suggested in the note of July 23, 1915. and does not doubt that the government of the United States will now demand and insist that the British government shall forthwith observe the rules of in ternationaI law universally rec ognized before the war, as are laid down in the note presented by the government of the United