Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-05-11

methOdS OF submarine war TO the In
terests Of neutrals.
"In reaching this decision the Ger
man government is actuated by con-
siderations which are above the level
Of the disputed question.
"In self-defense against the illegal
conduct Of British warfare while
fighting bitter struggle for national
existence, Germany had to resort to
the hard but effective weapon of sub
marine warfare.
1.-THE German government attaches
no less Importance to the sacred prinr
ciples Of humanity than the govern
ment of the United States. It again
fully takes into account that both gov
ernments for many years co-operated
in developing internation9. law in con-
formity with these principles, the ulti-
mate object of which has always been
to confine warfare on sea and land
to armed forces of belligerents and
safeguard as far as possible non-com-
batants against the horrors of war.
Although these considerations are Of
great weight, they alone would not
under the present circumstances have
determined the attitude of the Ger
man government.
"F'or, in answer to the appeal by
the government Of the United States
on both of the sacred principles Of
humanity and international law, the
German government must repeat once
more with all emphasis that it was
not the German, but the British gov
eminent which ignored all accepted
rules OF international law and extend
ed this terrible war to the lives and
property of non-combatants, having
no regard whatever for the interests
and rights of neutrals and non-com-
batants that, through this method of
warfare, have been severely injured.
Determination is Charged.
"As matters stand, the German
government cannot but reiterate re-
greet that the sentiments of humanity,
which the government of the United
States extend with such fervor to the
unhappy victims of submarine war
fare, are not extended with the same
warmth Of feeling to many millions Of
women and children, who, according
to the avowed intention of the British
government, shall be starved and who,
by sufferings, shall force the victori-
GUS armies of the central powers into
ignominious capituIation.
"The German government, in agree
ment with the German people, fails
to under stand this discrimination, all
the more as it has repeatedly and
explicitly declared itself ready to use
the submarine weapon in strict con-
formity with the rules of international
laws as recognized before the out
break OF the war, II Great Britain
likewise was ready to adapt the con-
duct of warfare to these rules.
Several attempts made by the gov
eminent of the United States to pre-
vail upon the British government to
act accordingly failed because of flat
refusal Of the British government.
Moreover, Great Britain again and
again has violated international law,
surprising all bonds in outraging neut
trail rights. The latest measure,
adopted by Great Britain, declaring
German bunker coal contraband and
establishing conditions under which
English bunker coal alone is supplied
to neutrals is nothing but an unheard
of attempt by way OF exaction to
force neutral tonnage into the service
of British trade war
Reason for lts Concessions.
"The German people know that the
government of the United States has
the power to confine the war to armed
forces Of the belligerent countries in
the interest Of humanity and main
tenance of international law. The
government Of the United States
would have been certain of attaining
this end had 1t been determined to
insist against Great Britain on the
incontrovertible rights of freedom of
the seas. But as matters stand the
German people are under the impress
sion that the government of the Unit
ed States, while demanding that Ger
many, struggling for existence, shall
restrain the use of an effective weap-
on and while making compliance with
these demands a condition for main.
tenance of relations with Germany,
confines itself to protests against H.
legal methods adopted by Germany's
enemies.
Moreover, the German people
know to what considerable extent its
enemies are supplied with all kinds
of war material from the United
States.
SIT will, therefore, be understood
that the appeal made by the govern
ment Of the United States to senti-
ments of humanity and principles of
international law cannot, under the
circumstances, meet the same hearty
response from the German people
which such an appeal otherwise al
ways is certain to find here. If the