Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-09
NEGOTIATIONS ON
WITH THE GERMANS
Continued From Page ~


regarding the use of her submarines.
The rights of neutrals regarding legal
trading were in fact nowhere limited
by Germany.
Then England made it impossible
for submarines to conform with the old
rules of international law by arming
nearly all merchantmen and by order
ing the use of guns on merchant yes
sells for attack. Photographic reproduc.
tions of those instructions have been
transmitted to neutral governments
with the memorandum of the German
government of February 8, 1915. These
orders are obviously in contradiction
with the note delivered by the British
ambassador in Washington to the
American government on October %,
1915. On account of the proposal made
by the United States on January %,
1916, regarding disarmament, the i'm
perial government hoped that these
facts would enable the neutral govern
ments to obtain the disarmament OF
the merchant ships of her opponents.
The latter, however, continued with
great energy to arm their merchant.
men with guns.
"The principle Of the U. S. govern
ment not to keep their citizens off bel.
Iigerent merchant ships has been used
by Great Britain and her allies to arm
merchant ships for offensive purposes
Under these circumstances merchant
men can easily destroy submarines
and If their attack fails still consider
themselves in safety by the presence
Of American citizens on board.
What Germany Faces.
Germany is facing the following
facts:
"(a) A blockade contrary to inter
national law Compare American note
to England Of November 5. 1850, has
for one year been keeping neutral
trade from German ports and Is max.
ing German exports. impossible.
"(b) For eighteen months through
the extending Of contraband provisions
in violation Of international law (com
pare American note to England OF No
ven1ber 8, 1879 the overseas trade OF
2neighboring neutral countries, so far
as Germany is concerned, has been
.hampered.
"(c) The Intervention of malls in
violation of international law compare
American memorandum to England OF
January 10, 1870 is meant to stop any
intercourse of Germany with foreign
countries.
ed England by Systematically and
increasingly depressing neutral coun.
tries, following the principle OF Might
before right has prevented neutral
trade on land with GERMANY so as to
complete the blockade Of the central
powers intended to starve their civi,
population.
"(e) Germans met by our enemies
on the high seas are derived OF their
liberty no matter whether they are
complaints or noncombatants.
"(f) Our enemies have armed their
merchant vessels for offensive pur-
poses theoretically making It impos-
sible to use our U-boats according to
the principles set forth in the London
declaration compare with American
memorandum Of February s, 1870.
"The English white book Of jan
uary S, 1916, on the restriction of Ger
man trade. boasts that by British
measures Germanys export trade has
been stopped almost entirely whilst
her imports are subject to Eng)and's
will.
"The imperial government feels con
tident that the people of the United
States, remembering the friendly re-
lations that for the last hundred years
have existed between the two nations,
will, In spite of the diff1culties put into
the way by our enemies. appreciate the
German viewpoint as laid down
above"