Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-08
Text Of German
Note on U-Boat
Controversy

x washington, mdTCH 90 Ao lcAl
he memorandum presented by Cour
ron Bernstorf to Secretary Lansin
.oday fellows: @ s *. 4 y y
'.The imperial German govern
ment, on account of the friendly
relations which have always ex-
I listed between the two great ma
J tions, and earnestly desiring to
continue them, wishes to explain
! the U-boat question once more to
the American government.
"At the outbreak of the war, the
German government Immediately
expressed its readiness to ratify
the declaration Of London. At
, that time German prize code al
(. ready had been issued which was
entirely based upon the rules OF
the declaration of London.
Germany thereby proved her
willingness to recognize fully the
existing rules of international law,
which insure the freedom OF the
seas for the trade Of neutral ma
tions, not only among themselves
but also with belligerent countries.
r. Great Britain on the other hand
declined to ratify the declaration
of London and after the outbreak
of the war began to restrict the
legitimate trade Of the neutrals In
( order to hit Germany. The contra
band provisions were systemat-
cally extended on Aug. and 20,
Sept. 21, and Oct. 20, 1914. On
Nov. 8, 1914, the order Of the
British admiralty followed, de-
claring the whole North sea war
zone in which commercial shipping
would be exposed to-, the most
serious danger from mines ana
men of war Protests from neu-
trails were of no avail, and from
tha. tine on the freedom of neu-
trail commerce with Germany was
practically destroyed. Under these
circumstances Germany was COM
PEELED to resort to reprisals. 49,
"The use Of the submarine nat
urally necessitated restriction OF
free movement Of neutrals and
constituted a. danger for them
which Germany Intended to warn
of by, a special warning analogous
to the warning England had given
regarding the North sea. -r
las both belligerents-Germ
in her note Of Feb. II and Great
Britain in those Of Feb. Is and 20,
1915-claimed that their proceed
ing was only enacted in retaliation
for violation of international law
by their; opponent, the American.
government approached both par
ties for the purpose Of trying to
re- establish International law as 1t
had been III force before the war.
.'England's object was to starve.
Germany into submission by illegal
smeArfs. s-gi, :1s.s s.;
III .t9ermany after neutral citizens
+ had lost their. lives against the
wish and intention, nevertheless in
= the further course 81 the law, COM
piled with the wish of the Amer
lean government regarding the use
of her submarines. $f{ ~ -
r "Then England made 1t impos-
sible for submarines to conform
with the old rules Of international
law, by arming her merchantmen
= and ordering the use Of guns on
merchant vessels for attack.
.aThe principle OF The United
States government not to keep her
citizens off merchant ships has
been used by Great Britain and
her allies to arm merchant ships
for offensive purposes. Under
these circumstances merchantmen
can easily destroy submarines.
THE order to use arms on mer-
chantmen was supplemented to
ram U-boats. Reports on payment
Of premiums to successful masters.
of merchantmen show the effect of
these orders. .1.2'
'"The English White Book of ian.
5. 1916, on the restriction OF Ger,
man trade. boasts that by British
measures Germany's export trade
has been stopped almost entirely
whilst her imports are subject to
England's will. t-
The imperial government feels
confident that the people OF the
United States, remembering friend
ly relations between the two ma
tions, will, inspite Of the Difficult
ties put into the way by our enc
mics, appreciate the German view
point as laid down above"
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