Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-05-12
MAKES CONCESSIONS IN
ANSWER TO UNITED STATES NOTE;
TO MODIFY SUBMARINE WARFARE
the service of British trade war;"
Power to Confine War.

ROVER TO Connne war. |
"The German people know that the
government of the United States has
the power to confine the war to
armed forces of the ~belligerent u
tries in the interest of humanity and
maintenance of international law. The
government of the United States
would have been certain of attaining
this end had it been determined to
insist against Great Britain on the in
controvertible rights to freedom Of the
seas.
But as matters stand the German
people is under the impression that
the government of the United States,
while demanding that Germany, strug-
Cling for existence, shall restrain the
use of an effective weapon, and while
making compliance with these de-
mands a condition for maintenance Of
relations with Germany, confines itself
to protests against illegal methods
adopted by Germany's enemies. More
over, the German people know to what
considerable extent it's enemies are
supplied with all kinds of war mater
ial from the United States.
Guided BY Friendship.
1T will therefore. De understood
that the appeal made by the overn-
ment of the United States to senti-
ments of humanity and principles of in
ternational law cannot, under the cir
cumstances, meet the same hearty re-
sponse from the German people which
such an appeal otherwise always is
certain to find here.
The German government, conscious
of Germany's strength, twice within
the last few months announced before
the world to make peace on a basis
safeguarding her many vital interests,
thus indicating that it is not Ger
many's fault if peace is still withheld
from the nations of Europe. The Ger
man government feels all the more
justified in declaring that RESPONSE
bility could not be borne before the
forum of mankind and in history IL,
after 81 months of the wars duration,
the submarine question under discus.
sion between the German government
and the government of the United
States were to take a turn seriously
threatening maintenance of peace be-
tween the two nations.
Prepared to Do Utmost.
so far as lies with the German gov
eminent it wishes to prevent things
from taking such a course. The Ger
man government is prepared to do its
utmost to confine operations of the
war for the rest of its duration to
, the fighting forces of the belligerents
thereby also insuring freedom of the
seas, a principle upon which the Ger
|, man government believes, as before
that it is in agreement with the govern
a ment of the United States.
, Such a demand would be incompat
ible with the character of neutralit!
y and the German government is con
WINGED that the government of thu
United States does not think of max
ing such a demand, knowing that tn
government of the United States re
peatedly declares that it is determined
e to restore the principle of freedom o
q the seas, from whatever quarter 1t ha
been violated.
THE German government, guided b,
Q this idea notified the government O
the United States that German nava
forces have received the following Of
d der:
& I'm accordance with the genera
- principles of visit and search and tn
" destruction of merchant vessels reco,
n nized by international law such We
ID sells, both within and without the are
b. declared a naval wal zone shall nc
n be sunk without warning and withou
saving human lives unless the ship a
al tempts to escape or offer resistance
It. But neutrals cannot expect that &c
IT. many forced to fight for existence sha
lie for the sake of neutral interests r
r strict the use of an effective weapo
if the enemy is permitted to continu
to apply at will methods of warfal
W. violating rules of international law"
Expects U. S. To Remove lmpedimen'
~ Accordingly the German cover
. ment is confident that in consequent
of new orders issued to the naval fore
II. the government of the United Stat
will now also see to it that all IL
ds pediments are removed, which m;
~ may have been in the way of mutu
in cooperation toward the restoration
the freedom of the seas during the w
~ as suggested in the note of July z
No 1915, and it does not doubt that Il
~ United States will now demand a.
insist that the British governmel
- shall forthwith observe the rules
international law universally reco
- nized before the wal as are laid doy
in the notes presented by the COVER
p,o- of fhn 11nitnA StofoS RI 4