Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-05-10
THE LATEST GERMAN
NOTE TO THE u. S.

Berlin as the reply of the German
government to the recent note Of pro-
test and warning from the govern
mcnt Of the United States concerning
the use Of submarines in warfare and
the observance OF neutral rights:
Berlin, May 4.--(By Wireless via
.Sayville, n. " )--Following Is the
next Of the note OF the German gov
ernment in reply to the American
note respecting submarine warfare,
delivered on Thursday by Gottlieb
Won Jagow, the Foreign Secretary, to
Ambassador Gerard:
"The undersigned on behalf Of the
imperial German government has the
honor to present to his excellency,
the ambassador Of the United States,
MIR. James w. Gerard, the following
reply to the note Of April 20, re-
garding the conduct Of German sub
marine warfare:
"rho German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as commune
Gated by the government of the Uni
ted States. Judging by the results
that the investigation has hitherto
yielded the German government is
alive to the possibility that the ship
mentioned in the note Of April 0 as
having been torpcdOed by Il German
submarine Is actually Identical with
the Sussex.
"The German government bcgs to
reserve further communication on
the matter until certain points are as
rertaincd, which are Of decisive i'm
pOrtancc for establishing the facts OF
the case. Should 1t turn out that the
commander was wrong in assuming
the vessel to be n man Of war the
German government will not fail to
draw the consequence resulting there
from.
RGScntS American Assertions.
In connection with the case of the
Sussex the government OF the Uni
ted States made q series of state
ments, the gist of which is the asser-
ton that the incident is to be consd-
cred but one instance Of n deliberate
method Of indiscriminate destruction
Of vessels of all sorts, nationalities
and destinations, by German subma-
rine commanders.
THE German government most
emphatically repudiatcs the asser-
LioH. Hc Vel government,
however, thinks 1t Of little avail to
enter into details In the present stage
Of affairs, more particularly as the
government Of the United States
omitted to substantiate the assertion
by reference to concrete facts.
1.-The German government will only
state that 1t has imposed far-reach-
ing restraints upon the use Of the
submarine weapon solely in consid-
GRAFTON Of neutrhls' interests, in spite
, of the fact that these restrictions are
necessarily OF advantage to Ger
many's enemies. No such conSilera-
ton has ever been shown ncutralS by
Great Britain and her allies.
The German submarine forces
have had, in fact. orders to conduct
the submarine warfare in accordance
with the general principles OF visit
and search and the destruction Of
merchant vessels recognized by inter
national law, the sole exception be-
ing the conduct of warfare against
enemy trade carried on enemy freight
vessels encountered in the war zone
surrounding Great Britain. With
regard to these no assurances have
ever been given to tho government OF
the United States. No such assur-
anccs arc contained in the dcclara-
tion of February s. 1876.
Admits Errors Mny BE Nude.
The German government cannot
admit any doubt that these orders
were given or are executed in good
faith. Errors actually occurred.
They can in no kind OF warfare be
avoided altogether. Allowances
must be made in the conduct OF ma
val warfare against an enemy resort
ing to all kinds OF ruses, whether
permissible or Illicit
But apart from the possibility Of
errors, naval warfare. just like war
fare on land, implies unavoidable
dangers for neutral persons and
goods entering the fighting zone.
even in cases where the naval action
Is confined to ordinary forms OF crui-
ser warfare neutral persons and
goods repeatedly come to grief.
"The German government has re-
peatedly and explicitly pointed on,
the dangers from mines that have led
10 the loss OF numerous ships
ihn German government has
made several proposals to the gov
eminent Of the United States in order
to reduce to a minimum for Amcri-
can travellers and goods the inherent
dangers OF naval warfare. Unfortu-
nately the government OF the United
states decided not to accept the pro-
posals. TIad it accepted the govern
lhent OF the United States would
nave been instrumental in prevent
ing the greater part OF the accidents
mat American citizens have met with
in the meantime
THE German government still
stands by its offer to come TO an
agreement along these lines.
Can'O Give Up the Submarines.
AS the German government has