Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-05-12
BERLIN GOVERNMENT DECIDES
TO ADOPT METHODS OF SUB
SEA ATTACKS TO THE IN
TERESTS OF NEuTRALS.
NEW ORDERS TO U-B0AT
CAPTAINS EFFECTIVE NOW
instructions to Observe Rules of
Search and Safety of Human Life
and Follow International Law
Are Significant-Requested to
49,
Make Demands on Britain.

Berlin, (Rv Wireless via Sayville,
n. " May 6.-Following is the text
of the note cf the German government
in reply to the American note respec-
ting submarine warfare, delivered by
Gottlieb Won Jagow, the foreign secret
airy, to Ambassador Gerard: |
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 regarding the
conduct of the German submarine war
fare: |
Identical With Sussex.
The German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communicate
ed by the government of the United
States. Judging by the results that
the investigation has hitherto yielded,
the German government 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 identical with the Sussex.
The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned, which are of decisive irnpor--
lance for establishing the facts Of the
case.
Should it turn out that the COM
mander was wrong in assuming the
vessel to be a man-of-war, the German
government will not fail to draw the
consequence resulting therefrom.
Regulates U. S. Assertion.
In connection with the cas- of the
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 of a deliberate method of in
discriminate destruction of vessels of
all sorts, n~ationalities and destinations
by German submarine commanders.
The German government must EN-.
phatically ~repudiate the assertion. The
German government, however, thinks
1t of little avail to enter into details
In present stage of affairs, more par
~ticularly as the government of the
United States omitted to s~ubstantiate
the assertion by reference to concrete
facts.
Has Imposed Restraint.
THE German government will only
state that it has imposed far-reaching
restraints upon the use of the sub
marine weapon. solely in consideration
of neutrals' interests, in spite of the
fact that these restrictions are neces
sarily of advantage to Germany's enc
mics. No such consideration has evel
been shown neutrals by Great Britain
and her allies"
The German submarine forces have
had, in fact, orders to conduct the sub
marine warfare in accordance with tn,
general principles of visit and search
and the destruction of merchant yes
sells recognized by international law
the sole exception being the conduc
of warfare against enemy trade cal
ried on enemy freight ships encour
tered in the war zone ~surroundin
Great Britain.
Has Given No Assurances.
with regard to these, M assurance
have ever been given to the govern
ment of the United States. No sue
assurances are contained in the decla.
alton of February s, 1916.
The German government canne
admit any doubt that these order
were given or executed in good faitl
Errors actually occurred. They ca
: in no kind be avoided altogether. A
l lowances must be made in the co
1 duct of naval warfare against an en-
n my resorting to all kinds of ruse
d whether permissible or Illicit.
Implies Dangers For NeutraIs.
n But apart from the possibility
errors, naval warfare just like wa
fare on land, implies unavoidab
II dangers for neutral persons and goo,
q entering the fighting Even
n. cases where the naval action is CO
a fined to ordinary forms of cruis
a, warfare, neutral persons and goods
- peatedly come to grief.
IL "' "Si - 6OfSA hAdClI mas
,e peatedly and explicitly pointed @
the dangers from mines that ha
led to the loss of numerous ships.
U. s. Blamed For Accidents"
-, The German government has ma
- several proposals to the governme
% of the United States in order to
q duce to a minimum for American tn
C elers and goods the inherent dang,
lie OF naval warfare. Unfortunately, I
government of the United States
cided not to accept the proposals. n
1t accepted, the government of
ke United States would have been inst
ce mental in preventing the greater p
Of the accidents that American {
In zens have met with in the meantil
IS. THE German government still stal
of by its offer to come to an agreem