The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-05-11

Berlin, Germany (by wireless via
Sayville, N. ~, May 5.-Following is
the text of the note of the German
government in reply to the American
note respecting submarine warfare,
delivered yesterday by GOttlieb Won
Jagow, the foreign secretary, to Am
bassador Gerard:
THE undersigned, on behalf Of the
imperial German government, has the
honor to present to his excellency, the
ambassador of the United States, MIR.
James w. Gerard, the following reply
to the note of April 20 regarding the
conduct of German submarine war
fare:
The German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communi-
Gated by the government of the United
States. Judging by the results that
the investigation has hitherto yielded,
the German government Is alive to the
possibility that the ship mentioned In
the note of April 10 as having been
torpedoed by a German submarine is
actually identical with the Sussex.
Looking Into the Sussex Case.
"The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned which are of decisive import
ance for establishing the facts in the
case. Should it turn out that the COM
mander was wrong in assuming the
vessel to be a man-of-war, the German
government will not fail to draw the
consequence resulting therefrom.
IN connection with the case of the
Sussex the government of the United
States made a series of statements the
gist Of which is the assertion that the
incident is to be considered but one in
stance Of deliberate method of indis-
criminate destruction of vessels of all
sorts, nationalities and destinations by
German submarine commanders.
Repudiate Charge by U. s.
THE German government must en-
phatically repudiate the assertion. The
German government. however, thinks
lit Of little avail to enter into details
in the present stage of affairs, more
particularly aE the government of the
United States omitted to substantiate
the assertion by reference to concrete
facts.
The German government will only
state that it has imposed far-reaching
restraints upon the use of the subma-
rine weapon, solely in consideration Of
neutral interests, in spite of the fact
that these restrictions are necessarily
of advantage to Germany's enemies.
No such consideration has ever been
shown neutrals by Great Britain and
her allies.
Orders international Law Obeyed.
The German submarine forces
have had, in fact, orders to conduct
the submarine warfare in accordance
with the general principles of visit
and search and the destruction of mer-
chant vessels recognized by interna-
tioLal law, the sole exception being
the conduct of warfare against enemy
trade carried on enemy freight ships
encountered in the war zone sur
rounding Great Britain. With regard
to these no assurances have ever
been given to the government of the
United States. No such assurances
are contained in the declaration of
February 8, 1916.
The German government cannot
admit any doubt that these orders
were given or are executed in good
faith. Errors actually occurred. They
can in no kind of warfare be avoided
altogether. Allowances must be made
in the conduct of naval warfare
against an enemy resorting to all
kinds Of ruses, whether permissible or
Illicit.
Danger Can't Be Avoided.
But apart from the possibility of
errors, naval warfare, just like war
fare on land, implies unavoidable dan
gers for neutral persons and goods en-
tering the fighting zone. Even in
cases where the naval action is con-
fined to ordinary forms of cruiser
warfare, neutral persons and goods re-
peatedly come to grief.
"The German government has re.
peatedly and explicitly pointed out the
dangers from mines that have led to
the loss Of numerous ships.
Proposals Are Not Accepted.
"The German government has made
several proposals to the government