The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-05-05

The Answer of Germany
to Demands of An !
on Subma Z

BERLIN, May 5. (via wireless to
Sayville, L. 1.-THE text of the Ger
maTdning demands, as transmitted to
Ambassador Gerard of the United
States. last night by Foreign Secre-
tary Won Jagow, follows:
THE undersigned, on behalf OF the
imperial German government. has the
honor to present to his excellency,
the ambassador TO the United States,
Mr.. James w. Gerard, the following
reply to the note Of April 20, re-
garding the conduct of German sub
marine warfare:
0ermany's Reply.
The German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for further investigation evidence
concerning the Sussex as communl-
Gated by the government of the Unit
ed States. Judging by the results
that investigation hitherto yielded,
the German government is alive to
the possibility that the ship mention
ed in the note of April 10 as torped-
oed by German submarine is actu-
ally identical with the Sussex. the
German government begs to reserve
further communications on the mat
ter until certain points are ascertain
ed which are of decisive Importance
for establishing the facts OF the
case. Should It turn out that the
commander was wrong In assuming
the vessel to be a man OF war, the
German government will not fail to
draw the consequences resulting
therefrom.
no ~
Sussex the government of the United
States made a series OF statements,
the gist OF which is the assertion that
the incident is to be considered but
one instance for (evidently should
read "of') deliberate method OF
indiscriminate destruction of vessels
OF all sorts, nationalities and dest1n-
ations by German submarine COM
manders. The German government
must emphatically repudiate the as
sertion The German government,
however, thinks it of little avail to
enter into the details in the present
stage of affairs, more particularly as
the government of the United States
omitted to substantiate the assertion
by reference to concrete facts. The
German government will only state
that II has Imposed far-reaohing re-
marine weapon solely In considera-
tion Of neutrais interests, in spite Of
the fact that these restrictions neees-
sariIy were Of advantage to Ger
many's enemies. No such considera-
tion has ever been shown neutrais
by Great Britain and her allies
German submarine forces have
had, in fact, orders to conduct sub
marine warfare in accordance with
the general principles of visit, search
and destruction of merchant vessels
recognized by international law, the
sole exception being the conduct OF
warfare against enemy trade carrleo
on enemy freight ships encountered
in the war zone surrounding Great
Britain With regard to these, no
assurances ever have been gwen To-
the government of the United States.
No such assurance was contained in
the declaration of February 8, 1916.
y
Errors Are. Unavoidable.
The German government cannot
admit any doubt that these orders
were given and are executed in good
faith. Errors actually occurred.
They can in no kind of warfare be
avoided altogether and allowances
must be made in the conduct OF naval
warfare against an enemy resortlng
to all kinds of ruses, whether per
missfble or Illicit. But apart from the
possibility of errors, naval warfare,
Just like land warfare, implies un-
avoidable dangers, for neutral persons
and goods entering the fighting zone
Even in cases where naval action is
confined to ordinary forms OF cruiser
warfare neutral persons and goods
repeatedly come to grief. The Ger
man government has repeatedly and
explicitly pointed out the dangers
from mines as they have led to the
loss of numerous ships. The German
government made several proposals
to the government of the United
States in order to reduce the mini
mum for American travellers and
goods the inherent dangers OF naval
warfare. Unfortunately the govern
ment of the United States decided not
to accept the proposals. Had 1t ac-
copied, the government of the United
States would have been instrumental
In preventing the greater part OF the
accidents that American citizens
have met with in the meantime. The
German government still stands by
its offer to come to an agreement !
along these lines.
AS the German government has
repeatedly declared it cannot dis
pense with the use of submarines as
a weapon in the conduct Of warfare
against enemy trade. Tho German
government, however, has now de-
cided to make further concession,
adapting the methods Of submarine
warfare to the interests Of neutrals. |!
In reaching this decision the German
government Is actuated by consider
ations which are above the level Of
the disputed question.
The German goreenment attaches |