The Arvada enterprise., 1916-05-11
REPLY TO BERL|N NOTE
OBSERVANCE OF NEW ORDERS
TO PREVENT SEVERANCE.
Germany Told Safety of American
Lives Cannot Be Made Condit onai
on Way England Prosecutes War.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
WashinSton.-Foll Is the text
OF the note cabled by Secretary Ian.
sing to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin
Wth instructions to deliver it to the
German minister of foreign affairs:
~ he note of the imperial German
government under date of May I 1916
has received careful consideration by
the government OF the United states
1t is especially noted as indlcatin, the
purposr of the imperial government as
10 the future, that it is prepared to
40 It's utmost to confino the operation
OF the war tor the rest of it's duration
TO the fighting forces of the hclligcr-
th'S' ana that II is determined to inn
pose upon all its commanders nt sen
the limitations OF the recognized rules
OF International law, upon which the
government of the United States has
insisted
throughout the months which have
elapsed since the imperial government
announced, on Feb. 1. 1915, it's sub
marine policy, now happily abandoned.
the government of the United States
has been constantly guided and re-
strained by motives of friendship In
ITS patient efforts to bring to an ami
rAhl' settlement tn" critical questions
arising from that policy.
Accepting the imperial govern
mcnl's declaration of its abandonment
OF the policy which has 50 seriously
the two countries. the government Of
the United states viii rely upOn a
ScrupuI"uS "NcCuiion honCcfurth Of the
now altered policy of til" imperial gov
"rnment such as viii remove the priu-
cipal danger L" an Interruption OF the
good relations existing between tho
United States ana Germany.
'Fh" government of the United
states feels II necessary to state that
1t takes II for granted that the i'm
perial German government does not
intend 10 imply that the maintenance
of It's newly announced policy is In
any way contingent upon the course
OF diplomatic negotiations between the
government OF the United States and
any other bcllig"r"nt government. not
withstandinE the fact that certain pas
ages of the imperial governments note
of the ith Inst, might appear to be
susceptible of that construction.
In order, however to avoid any
possible NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. the gov
crnmcnt of the United States notifies
tn. imperial government that it can
not FOR a moment entertain. much less
discuss, 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 he made
contingent upon the conduct of any
other government affecting the rights
of ncutralS and nonCOmbatants. Re
sponsihlity in such matters is single,
not joint; absolute, not relative
Mr, LHnsing's statement made publis
after the note was ON Its way to Bcr-
lin, follows:
THE greater part of the German
answer Is devoted to matters which
this government cannot discuss with
the German government. The only
questions of right which can be dis
cussed with that government are
those arising out OF It's action or out
of our own and In no event those uuos-
tions which are the subject OF diplo-
matte exchanges between the United
States and any other country.
9Th. essence OF the answer is that
Germany yields to our represent n ations
with regard to tn. rights of merchant
ships and noncombatants ON the high
seas. and engages to observe the rec
ogniz"d 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 thr
losses resulting from the violation OF
American rights by German submarine
commanders operating under tn" form
er policy viii have To he settled.
'Whil" our differences with Great
Britain cannot form "A subject of dis
tussiou with Germany, II should be
stated that in our dealings with the
British government "" ar" acting HS
we ARE uuqucstionnbly bound to act In
view Of the explicit treaty engage
meuts with that government We
have treaty obligations as to the man
ucr In which mattcTH In disput" be
tween the tw" governments AT" To be
handled.
I'VE offered to assume mutually
similar obligations with Germany, but
the offer was declined. when, how
ever, the subject In dispute IL con
iiuutuu menace to American lives II is
doubtful whether such obligations npr
ply unless IN, menace iH removed dur
Ing tho tendency Of the proceeding