The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1916-05-12
REPLY TO BERLIN NOTE
OBSERVANCE OF NEW ORDERS
TO PREVENT SEVERANCE.
Germany Told Safety Of American
Lives Cannot BE Made Conditional
on Way England Prosecutes War.

Western New spaper Union News Service
Washington.-Follo is the text
of the note cabled by Secretary Lam
sing to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin
with instructions to deliver it to the
German minister of foreign affairs:
The note of the imperial German
has received careful consideration by
the government of the United States.
1t is especially noted as indicating the
purpose of the imperial government as
to the future, that 1t is prepared to
do its utmost to confine the operation
of the war for the rest of its duration
ents.' and that II ia determined to Inn
pose upon all its commanders at sea
the limitations of the recognized rules
OF international law; upon which the
insisted.
Throughout the months which have
announced. on Feb. I. 1913. its sub
marine policy. now happily abandoned.
the government Of the United States
sas by guided and
its patient efforts to bring to an ami
cable settlement the critical questions
arising from that policy.
Accepting the imperial govern
ment's declaration of its abandonment
of the policy which has SO seriously
me, menaeed the good relations between
the United States will rely upon q
scrupulous execution henceforth of the
now altered policy Of the imperial gov
cipal danger to an Interruption of the
good relations existing between the
United TSa states and Germany ,,,,,so
States feels It necessary to state that
1t takes 1t for granted that the i'm.
%nv
of its newly announced policy in in
any way contingent upon the course
Of Diplomatic neEotiations between the
any other belligerent government. not
withdrawing the fact that certain pas
ages Of the imperial governments note
susceptible of that CONSTRUCTION.
In order, however. to avoid any
on tbe n.S the
the imperial government that 1t can
not for moment entertain, much less
discuss. a suggestion that respect by
the German naval authorities for the
rights of citizens of the United States
upon the high seas should In any way
or In the slightest degree be made
other government affecting the rights
of neutrals and noncombatants. Re-
sponsibility in such matters Is single.
not joint; absolute, not relative"
Mr.. Lansings statement made public
after the note was on its way to Ber-
lin. follows:
answer is devoted to matters which
this government cannot discuss with
the German E1yernm h;nn The only
cussed with that government are
those arising out of It's action or out
of our own and In no event those ques-
lions which are the subject of dtplo-
matte exchanges between the United
States and any other country.
|. The essence of the answer IL that
Germany yields to our represent ations
with regard to the rights of merchant
seas, and engages to observe the rec
ognized rules of international law
governing naval warfare in using her
submarines against merchant ships. So
long as she lives up to this altered
policy we can have no reason to quar-
rel with her on that score. though thu
losses resulting from the violation of
American rights by German submarine
commanders operating under the form
err policy will have to be settled.
while our differences with Great
Britain cannot form a subject Of dis
cussion with Germany. it should be
stated that in our dealings with the
British government we are acting as
we are unquestionably bound to act in
view of the explicit treaty engage
have treaty obligations az to tho man
ner in which matters in dispute be
tween the two governments are to be
handled.
1--WE offered to assume mutually
similar obligations with Germany, but
ever, the subject in dispute is con-
tinuing menace to American lives 1t Is
doubtful whether such obligations APP
ply unless the menace Is removed dur
ing the tendency of the proceedings"
ec-c0 ..AXoo nv oo,E