Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-02-09


indisputable rules of international law
and the universally recognized dc
tates of humanity, the government OF
the United States is at last forced TO
the conclusion that there is but one
course it can pursue. Unless the I'M
perial government should now ana I'M
mediately declare and effect an aDan-
donment of its present methods OF
submarine warfare against passenger
and freight carrying vessels, the gov
eminent of the United States can have
no choice but to sever diplomatic re-
Iations with the German empire alto
gether.'
"In reply to this declaration the i'm
perial German government gave this
government the following assurance:
"'The German government is pre-
pared to do it's utmost to confine the
operations of the war for the rest OF
its duration to the fighting forces of
the belligerents, thereby also assuring
the freedom of the seas a principle
upon which the German government
believes, now as before, to be in agree
ment with the government of the
United States.
1.-the German government, guided
by this idea, notifies 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 as naval war zone,
declared as naval war zone, shall not
be sunk without warning and without
saving human lives, unless these ships
attempt TO escape or offer resistance.
Incompatible With Neutrality.
But it added, 'neutrals cannot
expect that Germany, forced to fight
for her existence, shall, for the sake of
neutral interests, restrict the use of an
effective weapon if her enemy is per-
mitted to continue to apply at Will
methods of warfare violating the rules
of international law. Such demand
would be incompatible with the char
acter of neutrality, and the German
is convinced that the gov
eminent of the United States does not
think of making such demand,
knowing that the government of the
United States has repeatedly declared
that it Is determined to restore the
principle of the freedom of the seas,
from whatever quarter it has been vio-
lated
ITO this the government of the Unit
ed States replied on the eighth of May,
accepting, of course, the assurance Civ
en-, 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 it to imply that the maintenance
of it's newly announced policy is in any
way contingent upon the course of re-
suits of diplomatic negotiations be-
States and other belligerent govern
ments, Notwithstanding the fact that
certain passages in the imperial gov
ernment's note of the fourth instant
might appear to be susceptible of that
construction. In order, however, to
avoid any possible misunderstanding.
the government of the United States
notifies the imperial government that
it cannot for q moment entertain,
much less discuss, a suggestion that
respect by German naval authorities
for the rights Of citizens of the United
States upon the high seas should in
any way in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct of
any other government affecting the
rights of neutrais and noncombatants.
Responsibility in such matters Is
single, not joint; absolute, not rela-
tive
ITO this note of the eighth of May
the imperial German government made
no reply. On the thirty-first of Janu-
airy, the Wednesday of the present
week, the German ambassador handed
to the secretary of state, along with a
formal note, memorandum which
contains the following statements:
1.-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 determine
tion to destroy the central powers, and
that the government of the United
states VIII further realize that the
now openly disclosed intentions of the
entente allies give back to Germany
the freedom of action which she re-
served 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 1, 1917, in 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
''I think that you viii agree with ME
that, in view of this declaration, which
suddenly and without prior intimation
of any kind deliberately withdraws