Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-05-19
REPLY TO BERLIN NOTE
OBSERVANCE OF NEW ORDERS
TO PREVENT SEVERANCE,
Germany Told Safety of American
Lives Cannot Be Made Conditional
on Way England Prosecutes War.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
shington.-Following is the text
OF the note cabled by Secretary Ian.
sing to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin
with instructions to deliver 1t to the
German minister of foreign affairs:
The note of the imperial German
government under date of May 4, 1915,
mas mas received careful consideration by
the government of the United States.
~ is especially noted as indicating the
purpose of the imperial government as
do tts utmost n that o,ff,. Is ,b prepared to
OF the war for the rest of its duration
to the fighting forces of the belliger-
pose upon all its commanders at sea
the Limitations of the recognized rules
OF International law. upon which the
Insisted.
Throughout the months which have
elapsed since the imperial government
the government Of the United States
by masvasy guided Rd s IN
cable settlement the critical questions
arising from that policy.
Accepting the imperial govern
ment's declaration of its abandonment
Of the policy which has so seriously
the two countries the government Of
the United States will rely upon a
ecrupulous execution henceforth of tho
eminent such s% pG' as viii @ remo~e ' the prin- s
cipal danger to an Interruption Of the
good relations existing between the
the government Of the United
states e feels II necessary & to state at that
pera II f9T dees ess mot
intend to imply that the maintenance
Of its newly announced policy is in
of diplomatic negotiations between the
government Of the United States and
any other belligerent government. not
ages of the Imperial governments note
susceptible of that CONSTRUCTION.
I'm order, however. to avoid any
possible Observation-Disclosures. the gov
ernment of the United States notifies
1ae iess
discuss, a suggestion that respect by
the German naval authorities for the
upon tho high seas should in any way
contingent upon the conduct Of any
Of neutrais and noncombatants. Re-
sponsibility in such matters II single.
not Joint; absoluts; not relatiye; t ,,,.,
after the note was on its way to Bsr-
E'ds dsyot!a Ssrt 10 OF matters the Mheh
this government cannot discuss with
the German government. The only
questions of right which can be dis
cussed with that government are
those arising out of It's action or OUT
of our own and In no event those ques-
tions which are the subject Of diplo-
matte exchanges between the United
States and any other country.
Germany Yields to our representa- tions
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
governing naval warfare in using her
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 tha
losses resulting from the violation OF
American rights by German submarine
commanders operating under the FORM
R1liey will hnys to be sssted ith r..t
Britain cannot form a subject Of dis
cussion with Germany, It should be
stated that in our dealings with tho
British government we are acting as
we are unquestionably bound to act In
view of the explicit treaty engage
ments with that government. We
have treaty obligations a. 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
tinuing menace to American lives II 10
doubtful whether such obligations ap-
ply unless the menace is removed dur.
ing the Dendency of the proceedings"