Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-08
GERMANY WILL
MEET DEMANDS
Pledged to Safeguard Lives
of Passengers When
Destroying Prize.
ACCEPTS VIEW OF
u. S. GOVERNMENT
Mere Placing Of Non combatants on
Lifeboats Is Not, Under All Condi-
tions, Considered Assuring Them Of
Place Of Safety - State Department
Makes Public German Note-Ob.
lection Made to Sending Experts.

Washington, Jan. S.-The state de-
partment made public today Germanys
note accepting the American conten-
tions that the mere placing Of nom
combatants In life boats when prize
is to be destroyed, is not under all
conditions to be considered assuring
them place Of safety.
The note is the latest communication
over the sinking Of the American sail
ing ship William p. Frye, and besides
making concessions regarding small
boats. takes up the question Of an in
demnity for sunken ship and for ar
bitrating the disputed provisions Of the
Prussian american treaty.
The most important part of the text
relating to ships carrying contraband
says:
Until the decision of the permanent
court Of arbitration, the German naval
forces will sink only such American
vessels as are loaded with absolute
contraband, when the pre- conditions
provided by the declaration of London
are present. In this the German gov
ernment quite shares the views Of the
American government that all possi-
Bile care must be taken for the security
Of the crew and passengers of ves-
sci to be sunk. Consequently the per-
sons found on the vessel may not be
ordered into life boats, except when
the conditions. that Is to say the
weather, the conditions OF the sea. and
the neighborhood Of the coast, afford
absolute certainty that the boats will
reach the nearest port. For the rest
the German government begs to point
out In cases where German forces have
sunk neutral vessels, for carrying con-
traband. no loss OF llife has yet oc-
CURED. g-Ass
Suggest Settlement by Correspondent
Germany declines. however. to have
the commissioners who will settle the
Frye damages meet In Washington,
because the German expert DR.. Greve,
of Bremen. director OF the North Ger
man Lloyd line, would be exposed to
danger of capture during voyage to
America, in consequence OF conduct OF
maritime war by England contrary to
international law"
1t is suggested that the German and
American experts might get into touch
by correspondence.
Germany also declines at this time
to accept the appointment OF an UNI
pire to determine whether the experts
would settle damages or principles In
case the United States insists that the
experts meet in Washington and that
an umpire be named at once, Germany
suggests that damages be arranged by
diplomatic negotiations.
Special Court ls Proposed.
For the arbitration of the, Prussian-
American treaty Germany proposes a
special court Of five from the perma-
nent court at The Hague. from which
each country shall choose two and the
four shall choose the fifth to meet at
The Hague, June Is. The special court
would decide whether under the Prus-
sian American treaty "the belligerent
contracting party is prevented from
sinking merchant vessels OF the neu-
trnI contracting party for carrying
contraband when such sinking Is per-
missible under the principles Of inter-
national law"
The United States has contended
that the German cruiser Ettel Fried
rich had no right under the treaty to
sink the Frye. The German note pro-
poses that both parties present copies
of their argument to the court on
March !, and deposit their counter
cases and evidence on May 1.