Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-06

:"
siderations which are above the level
OF disputed question.
The German government attaches no
less Importance TO the sacred priu-
cipieS OF humanity than the govern
mert OF the United States II again
fully takes into account that both gov
crnments for many years co-cpcra ted
III developing international law in con-
i"rmity with these principles, the ulti-
mate object of which has always been
10 cchhhe warfare on sea and land To
armed forces of belligcrents, and safe
guard as FAR as possible noncombatants
aea inst the. horrors of. war But. al,
though these considerations are Of
great weight, they alone would not
under present circumstances, have de-
termined the attitude of the German
government For. in answer to the ap-
peal by the government Of the United
States ronH HbeLalf ofsstha cred uri,f.
ctples Of humanity and International
law, the German government must re-
peat once more with all emphasis that
II was not the German. but the British
government which isnorcd all accepted
rules OF International law. and cX-
tended this terrible war to the lives
and property of ncncoInbatan having
no regard whatever for the interests 5
and rights Of neutralS and nuncoIn-
batants that. through this method Of
warfare. have been severely injured
In Sclf-defcnse against the Illegal
conduct Of British warfare. white
fighting a butter struggle for national
existence. Germany had to resort to
the hard hut effective weapon Of sub
marine warfare.
ENGLAND RESrONsIBI.E
FoR ILLEGAL TACTICS
".\s matters stand. the German gov
, ernmcnt cannot but rciterate regret
that the sentiments OF humanity which
the government. of the United States
extends with such fcrvor to the u,i-
happy victims of submarine warfare
are not extended with the same warmth
Of feeling TO many millions Of women
and children. who, according to the
avowcd intention of the British gov
crnmcnt, shall he starved and who. by
suncriuSS. shall force the victorious
armies OF the central powers into
iEnominious cspitulaton. The Ger
man government. i'm agreement with
the German people. fails TO understand
this discrimination. all tho more as il
has repeatedly and explicitly declared
itself ready to use the submarine
weapon in strict conformity with the
rules of international law, AS rccos-
nized before the outbreak of the war,
il Great Britain likewise was ready 10
adapt the conduct OF warfare To these
rules @
several attempts made by the gov
crnmen' of the United States TO prevail
upon The British government TO act
accordingly failed because of Hat re-
fusal OH the part of. the British govern.
ment Moreover, Great Britain again
and again has ,viblated international
law surprising all bounds in outrag-
ing neutral rights. The latest mca-
sure, adopted by Great Britain, decIar-
ing German bunker coal contraband
and establishing conditions under
which English bunker coal alone if
supplied to ncutrals, is nothing hut
an unheard- of attempt by way OF cx.
action 10 force neutral .Junagc into
the service of British trade war.
ClN1biZtTION THREATEN
HN PROLONGING WAR
The German people knows that the
government OF the United States has
the power to confmc the war to armed
forces OF the beliigerent countries, in
the interest of humanity and main
tcnance OF international law. The gov
crnmcnt of the United States would
have been certain of attaining this
end had il been determined To insist.
against Great Britain. on the incontro-