Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-05-11
KAISER'S REPLY
Is AN EVASION
PRESIDENT WILSON'S NOTE ON
SUBMARINE ISSUE STILL
UNANSWERED.
ADMITS TORPEUOlNG SUSSEX
Urges U. s.. to Insist on Great Britain
Living Up to Rules Of lnterna-
tional Lawn Makes Some
uneracious Concessions.

Washington, D. CATER waiting
several weeks for the Kaiser's reply
to President Wilson's last note on the
submarine issue, the following docu-
ment was handed to Ambassador Ge-
rard on the afternoon of May 4:
1.-THE undersigned, on behalf Of the
Imperial German government, has the
honor to present to his excellency,
the ambassador of the United States,
Mr.. James w. Gerard, the following
reply to the note of April 20 regard
ing the conduct of German submarine
warfare. The German government
handed over to the proper naval auth
critics, for early investigation, the
evidence concerning the Sussex, as
communicated by the government of
the United States. Judging by the
results that the investigation has
hitherto yielded, the German govern
ment is alive to the possibility that
the ship mentioned in the note of
April 10 as having been torpedoed by
a German submarine is actually iden-
teal with the Sussex,
'"The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned, which are of decisive import
ance 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.
'In connection with the case of
the Sussex, the government of the
United States made a series of state
ments, the gist of which is the as
q sertion that the incident is to be con-
sidered but one instance of a deliber-
ate method of indiscriminate destruc-
ton of vessels of all sorts, n~ationali-
ties and destinations by German sub
marine commanders.
Regulates American Assertion.
"The German government must
eemphatically repudiate the assertion.
The German government, however,
thinks it Of little avail to enter into
details in the present stage OF affairs,
more particularly as the government
of the United States omitted to sub
sstantiate the assertion by reference
ITO concrete facts.
"The German government will only
state that it has imposed far-reach-
ing restraints upon the use of the sub
marine weapon, solely in considera-
ton of neutrals interests, in spite of
the fact that the restrictions are nee
~essarily of advantage to Germany's
enemies. No such consideration has
ever been shown neutrals by GGreat
Britain and her allies.
THE German submarine forces
have had, in fact, orders to conduct
the submarine warfare in accordance
with the general principles of visit
and search and the destruction OF
merchant vessels recognized by inter
national law, the sole exception be-
ing the conduct of warfare against
enemy trade carried on enemy freight
ships encountered in the war zone
surrounding Great Britain. With re
gard to these no assurances have
been given to the government of the
United States. No such assurances
are contained in the declaration o.
Feb. s, 1916.
"The German government canno'
admit any doubt that these ordSr:
were given or are executed in goot
faith. Errors actually occurred. The!
can, in no kind Of warfare, be avoided
altogether. Allowances must be mad,
in the conduct of naval warfar,
against an enemy resorting to al
kinds Of ruses, whether permissible o
Illicit.
But apart from the possibility Q
errors, naval warfare, just like wal
fare on land, implies unavoidable dar
gers for neutral persons and good
entering the fighting zone. Even i
cases where the naval action is cor
fined to ordinary forms Of cruiser wal
fare, neutral persons and goods r.
peatedly come to grief.
1.-THE German government has n
peatedly and explicitly pointed OF
the dangers from mines that hSS
Ind IN tho 1oaa of numernua hin
Offers Further Concession.
THE German government has mad
several proposals to the governmer
OF the United States in order to r
duce to a minimum for America
travellers and goods the inherent dat
gers Of naval warfare. Unfortunatel.
the government Of the United State
decided not to accept the proposal
Had 1t accepted, the government
the United States would have bee
instrumental in preventing the gres
er part of the accidents that Americs
citizens have met with in meantim
"The German government ST
stands by It's offer to come to q
agreement along these lines.
"As the German government T
peatedly declared, Is cannot dispeni
with the use Of the Submarine weapt
IN the conduct Of warfare agnin
enemy trade. The German Cover
e4 Ca.t