Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-05-06
The Notes One by One the Claims Of Progress,
the Alleged Intimation by Bryan that U. S.
Stand Should Not Be Considered too Warlike,
the German Answers and Activities

yial German government to the grave re-
sponsibility which the government of the
United States conceived that it has in
Cured in this tragic occurrence, and to
the indisputable principle upon which that
responsibility rests"
Renewed Representations
The note averred that the declaration
of submarine war zone could not alb
breviate the rights of Americans on law
full journeys. and added:
"The government of the United States
therefore, very earnestly and solemnly
renews the representations of its note
transmitted to the imperial German gov
ernment on May Is and relies in these rep
reservations upon the principles Of hu-
manity, the universally recognized un-
derstandings of international law, and the
ancient friendship of the German ma
tion."
To that note Germany did not reply un-
til July 8. This note discussed the Dec
laration of London, the British food
blockade of Germany, the sowing OF
British mines and the freedom of the
seas, and made a counter-proposal that
ooth SohileIiC d6ICC upOll d CSItdlu IutH-
ber of neutral passenger steamers for
traffic between the United States and Eu-
rope which the German government Of
fered to guarantee against submarine at
tack provided they carried no contraband
The nature Of the reply was regarded
officially as evidence that Germany was
holding the submarine warfare negotia-
tions as a club over the United States to
force this government into some action
to compel Great Britain to relax the
food blockade. President Wilson stead
fastly refused to permit the diplomatic
negotiations Of the United States with
one belligerent to become entangled with
the relations with another.
"Very Unsatisfactory"
To that communication the United
States replied on July 21 that the Ger
man note was very unsatisfactory"
because it failed to meet "the real diff
ferences between the two govern
ments." The United States, 1t de-
clared, was "keenly disappointed" with
Germany's attitude. Submarine at
tacks without warning, endangering
Americans and other neutrals were
characterized as illegal and inhu-
man." and "manifestly indefensible."
The German retaliation against the
German blockade, it maintained, must
not interfere with the rights Of neu-
trails which the note declared were
based upon principles. not expedien-
cy. and the principles are immutable"
1t declared that the United States
would continue to contend for the free
dom of the seas, from whatever quar-
ter violated, without compromise and
at any costs"
The American note concluded with
these words Of warning:
Friendship itself prompts It (the
United States) to say to the Imperial
government that repetition by the
commanders Of German naval vessels
Of acts in contravention Of those rights
must be regarded by the government
Of the United States when they affect
American citizens e5 deliberately un-
friendly"
defense Of Humanity"
The American press and other neu-
trails pronounced the American note
not only a demand that the rights of
Americans be respected, but a defence
of humanity and neutral rights gen.
orally. The negotiations at this point
seemed to have come to such an i'm
rasse that the exchange Of notes be-
tween Washington and Berlin were
stopped and the controversy was
brought into the realm Of informal
conversations" between Secretary
Lansing and Count von Bernstorf, the
German ambassador.
A German Promise