The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1916-05-12
tanned in the declaration Of February

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nit any doubt that these orders were
given or ara executed in good faith
Errors actually occurred. They car
in no kind of warfare be avoided al
together. Allowance must be made
in the conduct of naval warfare
against any enemy resorting to all
kinds Of ruses, whether permissible
or Illicit.
"But apart from the possibility OF
errcrs. naval warfare, just like war
fare on land. implies unavoidable dan.
gers for neutral persons and goods
entering the fighting zone. Even in
cases where The naval action is con.
fined to ordinary forms Of cruiser
warfare, neutral persons and goods
repeatedly come to grief.
1.-THE German government has made
several proposals to the government
of the United States in order to re.
duce to a minimum for American trav-
elers and goods the inherent dangers
OF naval warfare. Unfortunately the
government of the United States de-
cided not to accept the proposals. Had
it accepted, the government Of the
United States would have been in
strumental in preventing the greater
part of the accidents that American
citizens have met with in the mean
time.
The German government still
stands by its offer to come to an
agreement along these lines.
AS the German government repeat
eddy declared, 1t cannot dispense with
the use of the submarine weapon In
the conduct Of warfare against enemy
trade. The German government, how
ever, has 10 decided to make a fur
Their concession, adopting methods Of
submarine war to the interests of
neutralS.
"In reaching this decision the Ger
man government is actuated by COZ
siderations which are above the level
of disputed questions.
"The German government attaches
no less Importance to the sacred prin-
ciples of humanity than the govern
ment Of the United States. It again
fully takes into account that both gov
ernments for many years co-operated
in developing International law in
conformity with these principles, thu
ultimate object of which has always
been to confine warfare on sea and
land to armed forces Of belligerents
and safeguard as far as possible nom
combatants against the horrors OF war.
But. although these considerations
are of great weight, they alone would
not, under present circumstances,
have determined the attitude of the
German government. For in answer
to the appeal by the government of
the United States on behalf of the
sacred principles of humanity and in.
t%crnational law, the German govern
ment must repeat ono more with all
emphasis that It was not the German
but the British government which
ignored all accepted rules of inter-
national law and extended this terrible
war to the lives and property of ION.
combatants. having no regard what.
ever for the interests and rights of
neutrals and non-combatants that
through this method of warfare have
been severely injured.
"In self-defense against the illegal
conduct of British warfare, while
fighting a bitter struggle for national
existence, Germany had to resort to
the hard but effective weapon of sub
marine warfare.
"As matters stand. the German gov
eminent cannot but reiterate regret
that the sentiments of humanity which
the government of the United States
extends with such fervor to the un
happy victims of submarine warfare
are not extended with the same
warmth of feeling to many millions
of women and children who, accord
ing to the avowed intention of the
British government. shall be starved,
and who, by sufferings, shall force
the victorious armies Of the central
powers into ignominous capitulation.
The German government in agreement
with the German people fails to un-
derstand this discrimination. all the
more as it has repeatedly and ex-
plicitly declared itself ready to use
the submarine weapon in strict con-
formity with the rules Of international
law as recognized before the outbreak
OF the war, If Great Britain likewise
was ready to adapt the conduct of
warfare to these rules.
Several attempts made by the gov
eminent of the United States to pre-
vail upon the British government to
act accordingly failed because of fiat
refusal on the part of the British gov.
eminent. Moreover, Great Britain
again and again has violated interna-
tional law, surprising all bounds in
neutral rights. The latest
adopted by Great Britain do
claring German bunker coal contra
band and establishing conditions un-
der which English bunker coal alone
is supplied to neutrals is nothing but
unheard-of attempt by way of exac-
ton to force neutral tonnage into the
of British trade 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 countries, in
the interest of humanity and mainte-
nance Of international law. The gov
eminent of the United States could
been certain Of obtaining this end
had it been determined to insist,
against Great Britain, on the incon-
trovertible rights to freedom of the
seas. But as matters stand, the Ger
man people is under the impression