Evening star., 1916-05-07

LONDON, May 6-Declining to COM
ment on the purely Amerfcan-German
questions involved in the German re-
ply to the American note on submarine
warfare, Lord Robert Cecil. minister
of war trade and parliamentary under
secretary for foreign affairs, in behalf
of the foreign Office. gave the Asso-
ciated Press today statement deal
ing with the charges against Great
Britain and Germany's avowed desire
for peace. The statement follows:
The reply of the German govern
ment to the American note of April ~
respecting submarine warfare Is not
communication upon which any gen
eral comment can properly be made IN
this country as the questions at issue
concern the United states and Ger
many, and any interference by third
party would be presumptuous.
since, however, the German note
contains certain misstatements OF fact
respecting the actions Of Great Britain,
the following observations may not pe
thought out Of place. Ihe German
government state that they have, so
far as is possible. instituted TAR
eaching restraint upon the use OF the
submarine weapon solely in consldera-
of the fact that these restrictions were
necessarily Of advantage 10 Germany
enemies.
Says German Assertions Are Untrue.
'It is alleged that no such considera-
ton ever has been shown to neutrals
nv Great Britain and her allies.
"Do the facts bear out these asser-
iS L. m g.
ures taken by Great Britain against
German trade have cost no neutral
life Great Britain maintains that they
are in accord with the principles OF IN
ternational law. and is prepared 70
make good that claim. They can surely
compare favorably, so far as considera-
ton to neutrals is concerned. with
policy whose fruits are seen in the
tragedies of the Lusitania, the Arabic
and the Sussex.
THE Germans maintain that 1t was
owing to the illegal conduct of the
British warfare that Germany was
forced to resort to her submarine cam
paign This is not the first time that
the Germans have attempted to justify
their submarine warfare on the ground
that 1t is measure OF reprlsai agalnst
| the action of the British government
| in cutting off supplies from Germany.
| The following list OF incidents. in
chronological order. should suftice to
dispose of this plea:
"September, 1914-Dutch vessel Maria.
! from California for Dublin and Belfast
| with cargo Of grain for the civil popula-
| ton, sunk by the German cruiser karls-
i ruhe.
| October 2s. 1914-The Amiral Cantea-
| ume. with 1000 unarmed refugees. sunk
by a German submarine.
| December. 1914-Admiral Won Tirpitz
| foreshadowed adoption Of submarine
campaign.
| Cites Other Instances.
liam p Frye, with wheat from Seattle
for Queenstown, sunk by German aux
| ilfary cruiser Kron Prinz Wilhelm"
| Mote: The William p. Frye was sunk
by the Prinz Etel Friedrich, according to
| the records.)
| February 4, 1915-Declaration by the
German government of their intention to
institute a general submarine blockade OF
Great Britain and Ireland, with the
avowed purpose OF cutting Off all supplies
from these islands. This blockade was
put into effect officially February 1S. al
| though, as a matter of fact. merchant
ship had been sunk by a German subma-
| rine at the end Of January.
| TT was not until March II. 1915
that the present measures against Ger
| man trade were put In force by Grea,
Britain. Before the enforcement OF
those measures. the Germans had de-
stroyed cargoes of foodstuffs comm
TO the civilian population of this coun.
try: had declared their intention of in
| stituting q system of submarine out.
rage, and had actually submarineC
merchant vessels without warning.
| Recalls Atrocities in Belgium.
LAS for their pretended tenderness,
for non -combatants. their slaughter Of
old men, children. women and girls ir
Belgium and northern France. not te
sneak of the unreported proceedings O.
their honored allies in Armenia. for
ever prevents them from being heart
in such a cause.
"rhe German government speak o
many millions of women and children
| who, according to the avowed intention
of the British government, are to b.
| starved, and who. by their suffering
shall force the victorious armies OF tn
. central powers into an ignominiou
capitulation. In this connection 1t il
interesting to remember that at tn
beginning of last month the German
chancellor made the following remark
in 1915 the enemy would not give vi
hope of starving Germany, but can
, not understand how cool heads cal
. cling to II after the experience OF 1915
Our enemies forget that. thanks to IN
. organizing powers of the whole nation
, Germany is equal to the task Of tn
distribution Of victuals. Our stocks 0
I bread and grain will not only be sum
, Gent, but will leave an ample reserv
r with which to commence the new year
we have not run short of anything Il
the past. nor shall we run short
. anything in the future
r Sees German Contradiction.