The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-05-12

would have been avoided The German government
these lines
CANNOT DISPENSE WITH SUBMARINES.
LAS the German government has repeatedly declared
it cannot dispense with the of submarines as
weapon in the conduct of warfare against enemy
trade. The German government, however, has now
decided to make further concession. adapting the
methods of submarine warfare the interests of
neutras In reaching this decision the German gov
ernment is actuaed by WHICH are above
eminent attaches no less importance to the sacred
m ned Of sae an Dns y h he no
that both governments for years have cooper
y with these principles the ultimate object of which
o the forces so Of G to-
as far as possible non -combatants against the nor
great weight they alone would under the present
circumstances nave determines the attmae Oh the me
government of the United States behalf of the sa-
the German government must repeat once more with
but t the British Which by gnorns all the
accepted rules of international law extend this ter
having regard whatever the rights
ehod Of warae Sa~e been severely ms
self defense against the Illegal conduct of British war
Germany had to to the hard but effective
of @ srna cannot
but reiterate its regret that the sentiments of human
tends with such fervor the unhappy victims sub
mo1s % OF anne
as s Whe s to be Starved an o
their sufferings shall force the victorious armies of
the central powers into ignonlinious captulation.
WHAT GERMANY FAILS TO UNDERSTAND.
The German government in agreement with the
German people, fails to understand this discrimina
ton all the it has repeatedly and explicitly
declared itself ready to use the submarine weapon in
strict conformity with the rules of international law
recognized by the outbreak of the war il Great
Britain likewise would adopt her conduct of
fare to these rules. Efforts of the United States to
prevail upon the British government to act accord
ingly failed because of the fat refusal of the British
government. Again and again has Great Britain vi
plated international law surprising all bounds, the
latest measure adopted by Great Britain declaring
German bunker coal contraband and establishing
ditons under which English bunker coal alone can be
supplied to neutrals is nothing but unheard- at
by of eyacton to force neutral tonnage in
to service and trade in war. The German people
know that the government of the United States has
power to confne the war to the armed forces of the
belgerent countries in the interest of humanity
maintenance of international law. The government
of the United States would have been certain in
tanning this end had been determined to insist against
Great Britain on the ncontrovertble freedom of the
sea; (probably meaning had it been determined to in
sist Great Britain for her incontroverbe rights
the sea- The German people are under the impression
that the government of the United States while de-
manding that GERMANY: struggling for her existence
shall restrain the of an effective and while
making compliance with these demands condition
for the maintenance of relations with Germany,
fine itself to protests against the illegal methods
adopted by Germanys enemies moreover the Ger
man people know to what considerable extent their