The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-03-02
BERLIN'S NOTE TO U. S.
GERMANY CANNOT WARN ARMED
MERCHANTMEN
Text Of Message From Kaiser, Made
Public at Washington, Renews
Pledges.

Washington, March 1.-The memoir
andum of the German government on
the subject of armed merchantmen,
delivered to Secretary of State Lam
sing by Count Won Bernstorff, the Ger
man ambassador, follows:
The imperial government reiter-
ates the pledges given on September
! and October 5, 1915, and does not
consider that these assurances have
been modified by subsequent events.
The negotiations conducted between
the American and German govern
ments concerning the Lusitania Incl
dent never referred to armed mer-
chantmen.
American government of May 13
spoke expressly o: unarmed mer-
chantmen.' Furthermore, the for
mula agreed upon by both govern
ments on September l contained the
proviso, provided that they do not Of
fer resistance
The presence OF armament on
board a merchantmen creates the
presumption that the vessel intends
to offer resistance A submarine
commander cannot possibly warn an
enemy liner if the liner has the right
TO fire upon the submarine. 1t is OBJ
vious that such resistance to the warn
ing by submarine cannot be the
meaning of armed for defensive pur-
poses even if 1t were universally rec.
ognized that defensive armament is
permitted by international law.
This point of view was adopted
by the American government when it
requested assurances from the Italian
ambassador that the armed Italian
Vedid Verona Verdi and Verona y
which entered the port of New York
would not fire on submarines when
warned by them.
The imperial government issued
its new orders to the German and
naval commanders after having seen
by the secret orders OF the British
admiralty that the armament Of Brit.
ish merchantmen is to be used for
the purpose of attack and that these
ships are not merely peaceful trad
ers, armed only for defense British
merchantmen have, furthermore, on
several occasions attacked German or
Austro- Hungarian submarines.
They do, therefore, not conform
with the assurances given by the
British government in the note OF the
British ambassador in Washington OF
August %, 1914, and cannot even, &C
cording to the legal point OF view
adopted by the American government
be regarded as peaceful traders
I'm issuing the new orders to its
naval commanders. the imperial gov
eminent believed itself to be entire
ly in accord with the American gov
eminent, which expressed similar
opinions in the proposals which II
submitted to the entente powers. The
orders issued to the German nava
commanders are so formulated that
enemy liners may not be destroyed
on account of their armament unless
such armament is proved. It Ii
therefore obvious that the imperia
government does not intend to re
woke the pledges given September
and October Is, 1915.
The imperial government wei
comes the intention OF the American
government to bring about a modui
vivendi between the belligerents will
regard to the disarmament of mer
chantmen, but cannot see its way t
change or postpone the new orders Il
its naval commanders, because tn,
imperial government can no longe
permit it's submarines to be subject
ed to illegal attacks by armed enem,
merchantmen" .- ..s...