Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-10
KAISER DEFENDS HIS
SUBMARINE POLICY;
ENGLAND IS ACCUSED
German RepriSaIS Held JuStifi-
able Because Great Britain
Has Violated International
Law-InStanCeS Are Cited
CDy Associated Press. }

WASHINGTON. March S.--Count Won
Bernstor;E, the German ambassador, TO-
day at thu instruction of his govern
ment hand a 20 secretary Lansing. a
long memorandum explaining in detail
the German position in regard to armed
merchant ships and the causes leading
up to the decision of the central powers
to torpedo without warning all armed
enemy merchantmen.
Copies OF the Photographic copies of
P-itish admiralty instructions TO cap
tains of merchantmen. forwarded to the
nited States by Germany. probably will
be submitted TO Great Britain for varif-
cation. it was said today at the state
department. before further action is
t;ken by the United States.
Secretary Lansing said that he had
read the appendices to the German men,
crandum. which came forward by mail
aud to which the PHOTOGRAPHIC copies
were attached, bur was not ready a: this
time to state his views on the subject.
Department officials emphatically
denied a rumor. which had been. pre-
yiously denied in the house by authority
Of President Wilson, to the effect that
some sort OF warning would be issued to
americans to keep of armed merchant
men. No warning of any sort would
lie issued. il was said.
a telegram sent from New York to
representatives under the signature of
'Irish-German Democrats" attacking the
presidents attitude and saying I'VE are
concerned about Democratic success"
was brought to the attention of the
house today by Representative Dupre,
OF Louisiana. Mr.. Dupre expressed his
contempt for the anonymous manner in
which the telegram was sent, and said
that lin a crisis in our country's his
tory 1 know neither Democrat nor Re-
publicans. but only Americans"
The text of the memorandum in full
follows:
THE imperial German government
on account of the friendly relations
which have always existed between.
the two great nations 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, acting upon
the suggestion of the United States,
Immediately expressed its readiness
TO ratify the declaration of London.
AT that time a German prize code
had already been issued, which was
entirely and without modification,
based upon the rules of the declara-
ton of London. Germany thereby
proved her Willingness to recognize
fully the existing rules of interna-
tionaI law which ensure the free. |
dom of the seas for the legitimate
trade tof neutral nations not only
among themselves, but also with
beIligerent countries. c.
GREAT BRITAIN DECLINED
TO RATIFY LONDON PACT.
Great Britain, on the other hand,
declined TO ratify the declaration or
Iondon and, after the outbreak of
the war began to restrict the legiti-
mate trade of the neutrals in order
TO hit Germany. The contraoand
provisions were systematically ex-
tended on August 5. 20, September
81 and october 90, 1914. On Novem-
her 2 1914. the order of the British
admiralty followed. declaring the
whole North sea a war zone IN
which commercial shipping would be
exnosed TO the most serious danger
from mines and men of war.
Protests from neutrals were or
no avail, and from that time on the
freedom of neutral commerce with
Germany was practically de-
stroved. Under these circum-
stances. Germany was compelled to
resort. in February, 1915, to re-
prisals in order to night her OPP
ponents' measures, which were alb
Solutely contrary to international
law She chose for this purpose
new weapon the use of which had
not vet been regulated by interna-
tional law, and. in doing so, could
and did not violate any existing
rules. but only took into account
the popularity of this new weapon.
the submarine boat.
ENGLAND STUBBORN /
OVER PROPOSALS..
THE use of the submarine nat
urally necessitated a restriction Of
the free movement Of neutrals and
constituted a danger for them
which Germany intended to ward
of by a special warning analogous
to the warning England had given
regarding the North sea.
"As both belligerents-Germany
in her note OF February II and
Great Britain in those of Febru-
airy Is and 20, 1915-claimed that
their proceeding was only enacted
in retaliation for the violation of
international law by their oppon-
emit, the. American government APP
preached both parties for the pur-
pose Of trying TO re-establish inter-
national law as il had been in
force before the war. Germany
was asked to adapt the use of her
new weapon to the rules which had
been existing for the former hawai-