The Detroit times., 1916-05-05

yielded, the German government IL
alive 10 the possibility that the ship
mentioned In the note of April 10 as
torpcdoed by a German submarine is
actually Identical with the Sussex.
The German government begs TO
reserve further communications on
the matter until certain po'
ascertained which are Of decisive i'm
portance for establishing the facts
of the case. should IL turn out that
the commander VAS wrong In. assum-
ing the vessel TO be a man OF war.
the German government wiz not fail
to draw the consequences resulting
therefrom.
In connection witk the case OF
the SUSSEX, the government OF the
United States made a series OF state
ments. the gist OF which Is the as
sertion that the incident is To be
considered but one instance for texi.
IDENTIFY should read -'or') . delihA
method OF indiscriminate destru
OF vessels Of all sorts. national
and destinations by German subfr
rfns commanders. The German gc&.
eminent must emphatically repudi-
ate the assertion. The German gov
srament, however. thinks II OF little
avail 20 enter into the details in the
prUsent stage OF Affairs. more par
ticulariy rs the government OF the
United States omitted 20 substan-
tiats the assertion by reference TO
concrete facts.
The German government viii
only state that n has imposed far
reaching restraints upon the use OF
the submarine weapon solely In con
sideration OF neutrals' interests, in
spite Of the fac, that these restric.
tons necessarily were OF advantage
10 Germany's enemies. No such
consideration has ever been shown
neutrals BY Grea; 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
'aw, the sole exception being the
conduct OF warfare against enemy
trade carried on enemy freight ships
encountered In the war zone sur
rounding Great Britain. With re-
gard to these no assurances ever
have been given 10 the government
Of the United States. No such as
surance was contained in the decla-
ration o. Feb. 8. 1915.
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 allowance
must BE- made in the conduct OF
naval warfare against an enemy re-
sorting 20 all kinds OF ruses, ~heth-
er permissible or Illicit. But. apart
from the possibility of errors. naval
warfare. just like land warfare. i'm
plies unavoidable dangers for neu-
trail persons and goods entering The
lighting rome. Even In cases where
naval action is confined TO ordinary
sorms OF cruiser warfare neutral
persons and goods repeatedly come
20 grief The German government
has repeatedly and explicitly point
ed out the dangers from mines az
they have led TO the loss of nnmer-
ou- ships. The German government
made several proposals TO the gov
eminent o. the United States in or
der TO reduce 10 the minimum for
American travellers and goods the
inherent Danger Of naval warfare.
Unfortunately, the government OF
the United States decided not TO ac-
cept the proposals. Had II accept
ed, the government Of the United
States would have been instrumen
tai In erevent.ng the greater part
Of the accidents that American citi-
zens hare met with in meantime
The German government still stands
by its offer TO come TO an agree
ment along these lines.
sAs the German gsverrment M.
repeatedly declared. u casoet dis
wespSs In the eesdu~s Of warfare
against enemy trade. The German
Gsveyn1ens. however, has now deetd-
- te Doke further eoD~esstes, uaspt-
M a vxn a.
~ = 10 the tsterests 81 nestrsts- In
reaching this decision the German
government 10 sctusted by consider
ations which are above the level OF
| the disputed question
The German government attaches
no less Importance TO the sacred prin-
ctpies of humanity than the govern
ment OF the United States. u again
governments for many years have CO.
operated In developing the internal
/ tional law in conformity with these
principles. the ultimate object Of
which has .Iway: BEEN to connns
forces Of the beliigerents and TO safe
guard - far as possible non-corn
batsnts against the horrors OF war
But. although the considerations are
OF great weight. they alone would MOI
| under the present circumstance have
/ determined the attitude OF the Ger
man government.
Tn answer TO tn. appeal by the
government Of the United states on
behalf OF the sacred principles Of hu-
mainly and International law, the
German government must repeat once
! more with all emphasis that II was
| British government, which. by ignor
| ing all the accepted rules Of intsrna =
tionaI Law extended this terrible war
| 20 the lives and property Of non
combatants. having no regard what.
F<.r INT M