El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-05
AMERICA HAS NOT BEEN FAIR
TOGERMANY SAYS NEW NOTE
Kaisers Government Lays Blame the United States
For Excuses of Subm arne War, Because 1t
Asserts, We Have De clined To Enforce the
Proper Rules Ag ainst England


over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communl-
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.
The German government begs to re-
serve further communicate on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned, which are of decisive import
ance for establishing the facts of the
case. Should il turn out that the com
mander was wrong in assuming the
vessel to be a man of war. the German
government viii not fail to draw the
consequence resulting therefrom.
RepudiRtes L. :. Assertion.
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 a deliberate method of indis-
criminate destruction Of vessels of all
sorts, nationalities and destinations by
German submarine commanders.
The German government MUST EN-
PRACTICALLY REPUDIATE THE AS
SERTION. The German government
however THINKS IT OF LITTLE
AVAIL TO ENTER INTO DETAILS in
the present stage of affairs, more par
ticularly as the government of the
UNITED STATES OMITTED TO SUB
STANTIATE THE ASSERTION BY
REFERENCE TO CONCRETE FACTS.
1.-The German government will only
state that it has imposed far reaching
restraints upon the use Of the subma-
rine weapon, solely ia consideration OF
neutral interests, in spite OF the TACT
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 Given Submarines
"The German submarine forces have
had. i'm fact orders to conduct the sub
marine warfare in accordance with the
general principles of visit and search
and the destruction Of merchant vessels
recognized by international law, the
sole exception being the conduct Of
warfare against enemy trade carried
in enemy freight ships encountered in
the war zone surrounding Great Brit
ain. with regard to these. no assur-
ances have ever been given to the gov
eminent of the United States. No such
assurances are contained in the decla-
ration Of February s. 1916
Orders Executed in Good Faith.
'The German government cannot sd-
nit 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 alto
gether Allowances must be made in
the conduct Of naval warfare against
an enemy resortinC to all kinds Of
ruses, whether permissible or Illicit
Warfare Carries Danger for NeutraIs.
But apart from the possibility or err
rOrs. naval warfare, just like warfare
ON land. implies unavoidable dangers
for neutral persons and goods entering
the fighting zone. Even in cases where
the naval action is confined to ordinary
forms of cruiser warfare, neutral per-
sons and goods repeatedly come to grief.
10 The German government has repeat
eddy and explicitly pointed out the dam
gers from mines that have led TO the
loss Of numerous ships.
Why Didn't You Accept Proposals.
The German government has made
several proposals TO the government Of
the United States in order to reduce TO
a minimum for American travellers and
goods the inherent dangers of naval
warfare. UNFORTUNATELY, THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED
STATES DECIDED NOT TO ACCEPT
THE PROPOSALS. HAD IT ACCEPT
ED. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WOULD HAVE BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN PREVENTING