Gilpin observer., 1916-05-11
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.
ashington.-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, 1916,
mas received careful consideration by
the government of the United States.
IL is especially noted as indicating the
purpose of the imperial government as
to the future, that it is prepared to
do its utmost to confine the operation
OF the war for the rest of it's duration
TO the fighting forces of the belliger-
ents.' and that 1t Is determined to i'm
pose upon all its commanders at sea
of international law. upon which the
insisted.
Throughout the months which have
elapsed since the imperial government
announced, on Feb. 4, 1915, Its SUBJ
marine policy. now happily abandoned.
has been constantly guided and re-
strained by motives of friendship in
its patient efforts to bring to an ami
cable settlement the critical questions
arising from that policy.
ment's declaration of its abandonment
menaeed the good good" reiations "is 90 See,S set%eeS
the two cOuntries. the government OF
the United States will rely upon a
serup%ious execution hsnceforth Of the
ernment such as will remove the prin-
cipai danger to an interruption of the
good relations existing between the
"The % government nn% eff"ti Of the United
states feels It necessary to state that
it takes 1t for granted that the Inn
intend to imply that the maintenance
of its newly announced policy Is In
any, way contingent upon the course
of diplomatic negotiations between the
government Of the United States and
any other belligerent government, not
withdrawing the fact that certain pas
of the 4th inst. might appear to bo
susceptible of that construction.
IN In order; however, to avoid any
ernment of the United States notifies
the imperial government that 1t can
not for a moment entertain. much less
the German naval authorities for the
rights of citizens of the United states
upon the high seas should in any way
he De Of
other government affecting the rights
of neutrals and noncombatants. Re-
not joint; absolute, not relative"
Mr. Lansings statement made public
after the note was on its way to Ber-
lin, follows:
answer is devoted to matters which
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 its 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.
'The essence of the answer Is that
Germany yields to our representations
with regard to the rights of merchant
ships and noncombatants on the high
seas. and engages to observe the rec
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 the
losses resulting from the violation of
commanders operating under the form
er policy will have to be settled.
while our differences with Great
Britain cannot form n subject of dis
cussion with Germany, 1t should be
stated that in our dealings with the
we are unquestionably bound to act in
view of the explicit treaty engage
ments with that government, We
have treaty obligations as to the man
ner in which matters In dispute be
tween the two governments are to be
handled.
1--WE offered to assume mutually
similar obligations with Germany, but
the offer was declined. When. how
ever. the subject in dispute Is con-
tinuing menace to American lives 1t is
doubtful whether such obligations ap-
ply unless the menace is removed dur
Ing the pendency of the proceedings