The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-05-12

nv. Secretary Lansing to Ambassador
Gerard today for delivery to the Ber-
lin foreign office informs the, German
government that the United States &C
cepts Germany's declaration of its
abandonment of it's former suhma-
rine policy and now relies upoa
scrupulous execution of the altered
policy to remove the principal danger
of an interruption of the good rela-
tions existiag between the two coan-
tries.
With this acceptance is coupIed for
NAL notice to Germany that the
United States can not for moment
entertain. much less discuss, sug-
gestion that respect by German naval
authorities for the rights of citizens
of the United States on the high seas
should in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct OF
any other government affecting the
rights of .1eutrals and noncombatants.
This is in reply to the concluding
statement in the last German note TO
the effect that while submarine COM
manders had been ordered to sink no
peaceful freight or passenger carry
ing ships without warning or without
safety for passengers and crew, the
German government would reserve to
itself complete liberty of decision un-
less the United States, was successful
in its efforts to- break the British
blockade.
Question Of Performance.
Secretary Lansing issued state
ment tonight saying that the greater
part of Germany's answer to the de-
mand of the United States was de-
uoted to matters which the American
government could not discuss with
the Berlin government. but he consid-
cred Germany had yielded to our
representations" and that I'VE can
have lpo reason to quarrel with her.
so long as the alterede policy is lived
up to.
Following is the text Of the note
cabled today by Secretary Lansing to
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin with in
structions to deliver it to the German
n,iaister of foreign affairs.
.sIhe note of the imperial German
government under date OF May 4,
1916, has received careful considera-
ton by the government of the United
States. 1t is especially noted, as in
dicating the purpose OF the Imperial
government as to the future, that it
is prepared to do its utmost to con-
fine the operation OF the war for the
rest of it's duration to the fighting
forces of the belligerents' and that it
is determined to impose upon all its
commanders at sea the limitations OF
the recognized rules of intentional
law upon which the government of
the United States has insisted.
Throughout the months which
have elaDsed since the imperial gov
ernment announced on February 4,
1915, its submarine policy, now hap
PLY abandoned, the government OF
the United States has been constantly
guided and restrained by motives OF
friendship in it's patiert efforts to
bring to an amicable' settlement the
critical questions arising from that
policy. Accepting the imperial gov
ernment's declaration of its abandon
ment of the policy which has SO Sc
riously menaced the good relations
between the two countries. the gov
ernment of the United States will rely
upon a scrupulous execution hence
forth of the now altered policy of The
imperial government such as will re-
move the principal danger to an i'm
terruption of the good relations ex-
listing between the United States and
Germany.
"The government of the United
States feels it necessary to state that
it takes it for granted that the i'm
perial German government does not
intend to imply that the maintenance
of its newly announced policy is in
any way contingent upon the course
or result of diplomatic negotiations
between the government of the United
States and any other belligerent gov
ernmeat, notwithstanding the fact
that certain passages in the imperial
governments note of the 4th inst