The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-05-09

the conduct of warfare against enemy
trade carried on enemy freight ships
encountered in the war zone surround
ing Great Britain. With regard to
these, no assurances have ever been
given to the government of the United
States. No such assurances are con-
tanned in the declaration of Feb. s.
1916
"The. German government can not
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 naval warfare
against an enemy resOrting to all
kinds of ruses, whether permissible or
illicit
But apart from the possibility of
errors, naval warfare just like war
fare in land, implies unavoidable dan
gers for neutral persons and goods
entering the fighting zone. Even in
cases where the naval action is con-
fined to ordinary forms of cruiser
warfare, neutral persons and goods
repeatedly come to grief
THE German government has re-
peatedly and explicitly pointed out the
dangers from mines that have led to
the loss of neutral ships.
1.-The German government has made
several proposals to the government
of the United States in order to re-
duce to a minimum for American
/ travellers and goods the inherent dan
gers of naval warfare Unfortunately,
the government of the United States
decided not to accept the proposals.
Had it accepted the government of the
United States would have been instru-
mental in preventing the greater part
of the accidents that the American cit
liens have met with in the meantime
1.-THE German government still
stands by its offer to come to an
agreement along these lines.
AS the German government repeat
eddy declared, it can not dispense with
the use of the submarine weapon in
the conduct of warfare against enemy
trade. The German government, how.
ever, has now decided to make a fur
Their concession, adapting methods o.
submarine war to the interests of neu
trails.
In reaching this decision the Ger
man government is actuated by con
of the disputed question
"The German government attache
no less Importance to the sacred prin
ciples of humanity than the govern
ment of the United States. 1t again
fully takes into account that both gov
ernments for many years cO-operatel
in developing international law in con
formity with these principles, the ulti
mate object of which has always beel
to confine warfare on sea and land T.
armed forces of belligerents and safe
guard as far as possible nOn-cOmbat
ants against the horrors of war. Blu
although these considerations are O
great weight, they alone would no
under present circumstances have de
termined the attitude of the Germa
government. For, in answer to tn
q appeal by the government of the Unit
q ed States, on behalf of the sacre
principles of humanity and interns
. tiOnal law, the German governmer
Z, must repeat once more, with all en-
phasis, that it was not the German
but the British government which lie
! nored all accepted rules of interna
tional law and extended this terribl
war to the lives and property of nor
combatants, having no regard what
, ever for the interests and rights {
neutrals, and non-combatants thu
through this method of warfare hay
o been severely injured
! In self-defense against the illeg;
conduct of British warfare, viii
fighting a bitter struggle for nations