The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-05-12

Berlin-[Via Wireless to SayvileI-Nay 5.-The text
of the German reply President Wilson's submarine
demands as transmitted to Ambassador Gerard of the
United States by Foreign Secretary Won Jagow, fol-
lows
Berlin May 5-The text of the German reply hand
ed Ambassador Gerard follows: 1.-The undersigned On
behalf of the German imperial government has the
honor to to his exceency, the ambassador to
Germany of United States, Hon. James w. Gerard,
the following reply of April 10 regarding
the conduct of the German submarine warfare: The
German government has handed over to the proper
naval authorities for further investigation, the evil
dence concerning the Sussex communicated by the
government the United States Judging from the
results of that information already yielded the Ger
government is alive to the possibility that the
ship mentioned in the note of April 10 torpedoed
by German submarine is actually identical with the
Sussex The German government begs reserve fur
Their comments the communication until further
points are ascertained which of decisive import
in the establishing of facts of the Should
il turn out that the commander was wrong in as
government win not fail to draw the consequences re-
In CONNECTION with the ease Of the Sussex the
Statements the gist of which is the assertion that the
incident is to be considered but one incident Tor
of indiscrminate destruction of vessels of all
sorts natonaes and designations by German sue
emphaticaly repudate the assertion. The German
ter details of present status, inasmuch
the government of the United States omitted to sub
The German government will only state that it has
imposed far-reaching restraint upon the of the
submarine weapon solely consideration of neutrals
interests in spite of the fact that these restrictions
necessarily are advantage to Germanys enemies
No such consideration has been shown the neu-
trails by Great Britain and her allies German sub
marine forces have had in fact orders to conduct the
submarine warfare in accordance with the general
principles of visit, search and destruction of
chant vessels recognized by international law, the
sole exception being the conduct of the warfare
against the enemy carried the enemy freight
ships encountered in the surrounding Great
Britain. With regard to these assurances have
been given to the government of the United
States. No such assurance contained in the dec
laration of February s. 1916
$50" ERRORS WILL OCCUR, NOTE SAYS.
The German government cannot admit doubt
that these orders given and executed in good
faith. Errors actually occurred. They in
kind of warfare be avoided altogether and allowances
must be made the conduct of naval warfare against
resorting to all kinds of ruses whether
permissible Illicit But apart from the possibility
of errors. naval warfare just like land warfare inn
plies unavoidable dangers for neutral persons and
goods entering the fighting Even in
where naval action is confined to ordinary forms of
cruiser warfare, neutral persons and goods repeated
ly come to grief The German government has repeat
edly and explicitly pointed OUT the danger from mines
as they have led to the loss of numerous ships The
German government made several proposals the
government of the United States in order to reduce
to the minimum of danger travel of Americans. Tn
fortunately these -roposas We're not adopted. II
they had been adopted the greater part the acct
dents that American citizens have met meantime