The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-05

with all emphasis that it was not the
German but the British government
which ignored all accepted rules of in
ternational law and extended this ter
rible war to the lives and property of
non-combatants, having no regard
whatever for the interests and rights
of neutrals and non-combatants that
through this method of warfare have
been severely injured
U-Boats in Self Defense.
.'In self defense against the illegal
conduct of British warfare while
fighting a bitter struggle for national
existence, Germany had to resort to
the hard but effective weapon of SUBJ
marine warfare.
LAS matters stand the German gov
eminent cannot but reiterate the re-
greet that the sentiments of humanity
which the government of the United
States extends with such fervor to the
unhappy victims of submarine war
fare, are not extended with the same
warmth of feeling to many millions
of women and children who. according
to the avoWed intention of the British
government, shall be starved, and who
by sufferings shall force the victorious
armies of the central powers into ig-
nominious capitulaticn
THE German government, IN agree
ment with the German people, fails to
understand this discrimination, all the
more as it has repeatedly and explicit
ilSelI TSduN 10 use the SuD-
marine weapon in strict conformity
with the rules of international laws as
recognized before the outbreak of the
war if Great Britain likewise was
ready to adept the conduct of warfare
to these rules.
eminent of the United States to pre-
vail upon the British to act accord
ingly failed because of the flat refusal
on the part of the British government.
Moreover, Great Britain again and
again has violated international law.
surprising all bounds in outraging
neutral rights.
1.-THE latest measure. adopted by
Great Britain declaring German bunk
er coal contraband and establishing
conditions under which English bunk
er coal alone is supplied to ncutrals is
nothing but an unheard of attempt by
way of exaction to force neutral ton
mage into the service of British trade
war.
Offered to Make Peace.
The German government, conscious
of Germary's strength, twice within
the last few months announced before
the world its readiness to make peace
on a basis of safeguarding Grmany'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 declaring that re-
sponsibility could not be borne before
the forum of mankind and in history
if after twenty-one months of the
wars duration the submarine question
under discussion between the German
government and the government of
the United States were to take a turn.
seriously threatening maintenance of
peace between the two nations.
The German people knows that the
government of the United States has
f1n to
ed forces of the belligerent countries
in the interest of humanity and main
tenance of international law.
German Peoples View.
t'The government of the United
States would have been certain of at
tanning this end had it been deter
mined to insist against Great Britain
on the incontrovertible rights to free
dom of the seas. But as matters stand
the, German people is under the i'm
preston that the government &C the
United States. while demanding that
Germany, struggling for existence,
shall restrain the use of an effective
weapon and while making compliance
with these demands a condition for
maintenance of relations with Ger
many, confines itself to protests
against Illegal methods adopted by
'Germany's enemies. Moreover, the
German people knows to what con-
piled with all kinds of war material
from the United States.
at will, therefore, be understood
the appeal made by the government
of the United States to sentiments of
humanity and principles of interna-
tional law cannot under the circum-
stances meet the same hearty response
from the German people which such
an appeal otherwise always is certain
to find here.
Cites Friendship of Nations.
'If the German government never
theless is resolved to go to the utmost
limit of concessions. ii has been guild
ed not alone by the friendship con-
meeting the two great nations for over
one hundred years, but also by the
thought of the great doom which
threatens the entire civilized world
should the cruel and sanguinary war
be extended and prolonged.
Insures Freedom of Seas.
LAS far as lies with the German
government it wishes to prevent things
from taking such course. The Ger
man government, moreover, is pre-
pared to do its utmost to confine oper-
atoms of the war for the rest of its
duration to the fighting forces of the
beIligerents, thereby also insuring
freedom of the seas, principle upon
which the German government be-
Iieves now as before that it is in agree
ment with the government of the Unit
ed States"
THE German government guided by
this idea notifies the government of
the United States that German naval
forces have received the following
order:
In accordance with the general
of visit and search and the
destruction of merchant vessels recOg-
nized by international law such ves-
sells, both within and without the
area declared a naval war zone, shall
not be sunk without warning and
without saving human lives, unless
the ship attempts to escape or offer
resistance
ssRut neutrals cannot expect that
Germany, forced to fight for existence,
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 warfare