The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-05-11

Deloh, May 0,-(By Wireless to
SayVllle. Following is the text of
the German government note in re-
ply to the American government re-
specting 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,
MI James W Gerard, the following
reply to the note of April 20 regarding
the conduct of German submarine
warfare.
The German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
Tor early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communicate
ed by the government Of the United
States and, judging by the results
that the investigation has yielded the
German government is alive to the
possibility that the ship mentioned in
the note of April 10 as having been
torpedoed by a German submarine is
actually identical with the Sussex.
The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned which are of decisive import
ance for establishing the facts of the
case. Should it turn out that the
commander was wrong in assuming
the vessel to be a man-of-war, the
German government will not fail to
draw the consequence resulting there
from.
In connection with the case of
the Sussex, the government of the
United States made a series of state
ments the gist of which is the asser-
tiOn that the incident is to be consid-
cred but one instance Of a deliberate
method of indiscriminate destruction
of vessels of all sorts of nationality
and destination by German submarine
commanders.
THE German government must en-
phatically repudiate the assertion.
The German government, however,
thinks it of little avail to enter into
details in the present stage Of affairs,
more particularly as the government
of the United States omitted to sub
stantiate the assertion by reference to
concrete facts.
THE German government will only
state that it has imposed far-reaching
restraints upon the use of the subma-
rine weapon, solely in consideration of
neutrals' interests, in spite of the fact
that these restrictions are necessari-
ly of advantage to Germany's enemies.
No such consideration has ever been
shown neutrals by Great Britain and
her allies.
THE German submarine forces
have had, in fact, orders to conduct
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
ships encountered in the war zone
surrounding Great Britain With re-
gard to these no assurances have ever
been given to the government OF the
United States. No such assurances
are contained in the declaration OF
February s 1915.
"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 naval warfare
against an enemy resorting TO all
kinds of ruses, whether permissible OF
Illicit.
But apart from the possibility OF
I x,,o 70 r.a inst like war;
fare on land, implies unavoidable dam
gers for neutral persons and goods
entering the fighting one. Even III
cases where the naval action Is con-
fined to ordinary forms of cruiser
warfare, neutral persons and goods
repeatedly come to grief
s.The German government has re.
neatedly and explicitly pointed oul
the dangers from mines that have leo
TO the loss of numerous ships.
"Tbe German government has MADE
several proposals to the government
of the United States in order to re
dnca to a minimum for American
travellers and goods the inherent dan
oore of naval warfare. Unfortunate
1v the government of the Unites States
dacided not to accept the proposals
Had it accepted, the government %
the United States would nave Deen
instrumental In preventing the great
or part of the accidents that amer.
ican citizens have met with III Iht
meantime. Gin
%The German government sun
stands by its offer to come to al
agreement along these lines.
"As the German government re
neatedly declared, it cannot dispense
With the use of the submarine weapon
in the conduct of warfare against en-
emy trade The German government.
reviewer, has now decided to MAKE
f,,rther concession, adopting method'
Of submarine warfare to the interests
of neutrals.