Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-03
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pared to do it's utmost to confine the
operations of war for the rest of it's
duration to the fighting forces of the
belligerents, thereby also insuring the
freedom of the seas, n principle upon
which the German government be-
lieves now, as before, to be in agree
ment with the government of the
nited States.
The German government, guided
by this idea. notified the government
of the United States that the German
naval forces have received the follow
ing orders In accordance with the
general principles of visit and search
and destruction of merchant vessels
recognized by international law, such
vessels, both within and without the
area declared a naval war zone, shall
not be sunk without warning and
without saving human lives, unless
these ships attempt to escape or Of
fer resistance.
U. =. Accepts Assurances
ITO this the government of the
United States replied on the eighth of
May accepting, of course, the assur-
ances given but adding:
The government of the United
States feels it necessary to state that
it takes it for granted that the I'M
perial German government does not
intend to imply that the maintenance
any way contingent upon the course or
result of diplomatic negotiations be-
tween the government of the United
States and any other belligerent gov
ernment, Notwithstanding the fact
that certain passages in the Imperial
governments note of the fourth in
slant might appear to be susceptible
of that construction. In order. how
ever, to avoid any misunderstanding,
the government of the United States
notifies the Imperial government that
1t cannot for a moment entertain,
much less discuss q suggestion that
respect by German naval authorities
for the rights of citizens of the United
States upon the high seas should in
anyway or in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct of
any other government, affecting the
rights of neutralS and noncombatants.
Responsibility i'm such matters is sin
gle, not joint, absolute not relative
ITO this note of the eighth of May
the Imperial German government
made no reply.
Cites Latest Action
"On the thirty-first of January, the
Wednesday of the present week the
German ambassador handed to the
Secretary of State, along with n form
al note, a memorandum which con-
tanned the following statement:
The Imperial government, there
fore, does not doubt that the govern
ment of the United States will under
stand the situation thus forced upon
Germany by the entente allies brutal
methods of war. and by their deter
mination to destroy the central pow
ers, and that the government of the
United States will further realize that
the now openly disclosed intention of
the entente allies gives back to Ger
many the freedom of action which she
reserved in her note addressed to the
government of the United States on
May 4, 1916.
Under these. circumstances Ger
many will meet the Illegal measures
of her enemies by forcibly preventing
after February /, 1917, in a zone
around Great Britain, France, Italy
and in the eastern Mediterranean. all
navigation, that of neutrals included
from and to England and from and
to France. etc, etc. All ships met
within the zone will be sunk,
Only Course Open
'I think that YOU will agree with
me that, in view of this declaration
which suddenly and without prior
intimatian of any kind deliberately
withdraws the solemn assurance given
in the Imperial Governments note of
the 4th of May, 1916. this government
has no alternative consistent with tie
dignity and honor of the United States
but to take the course which, in its
note of the 18th of April, 1916, it an