Show REPLY KEPL Y TO KAISER MADE V U. U S. S Will Not Officially Investigate Dumdum Bullets Complaint I WASHINGTON Jan 7 Secretary cr tar Bryan to today ar informed Count the tho German ambassador that the United States in maintaining strict neutrality nan neu must refrain from officially investigating investigating in in- or commenting upon his I charges that dumdum bullets were boing boo bo- ing furnished from this country to the allies Secretary Bryan told toM the ambassador however that if it he could furnish proof that forbid forbidden war materials were being shipped by American firms President Wilson would use his influence to stop the traffic without involving legal or international questions In a letter to Count von on Bern It Secretary BIJ Bryan referred to denials of American manufacturers to his hig r recent charge chargo of dum dumdum um bullets and riot guns being furnished furnish J the allies The letter follows 5 41 1 ba havo vo the tho honor to acknowledge the receipt of oC your note of tho the th ultimo calling cailing att attention to I fresh violations of the tho Geneva Genea convention as well a as of section see sec tion 2 article of The Ha lingua Hague e convention con eon l of July 29 1809 b by the British gov government in tho the use usa o of dumdum bul bul- lets leh I that 1 I. can assure your our excellency t t t you yoo brin bring to the attention of this government go gov tho improper practices arc are alleged to have hMo occurred in the tho conduct con eon duct of t the c present war But hut while this government nt may JUny tako these those statements i I and charges under consideration it is in its effort to maintain a strict neutrality neu in the present conflict obliged to refrain from investigating in their truthfulness truthfulness truth truth- or making any comment in iu regard re ro- gard to them The time will como coma however when ivhon the truth may bo be impartially determined and when tho judgment of the tho world will ill be bo passed upon the tho charges made mado b by the various belligerents of violations ons of the tho rales of c civilized ll zed warfare Your excellency also states that the British government has ordered from the Winchester Arms Repeating company com corn I pan pany OOOO I riot guns model 1807 1897 and 4 buckshot cartridges cartridges' for uSein use usein usein in such auth guns This department saw a a. published statement of the tho Vin Winchester hester company tho correctness of which the company has confirmed to tho the department department depart lepart- ment by telegraph In this statement tho the company categorically denies that it has baa received ived an order for euch such guns and cartridges from or made mado any sale salo of such material to the tho British government govern govern- o ern ment mont or to any other go government engaged en on- in the thc present war Your excellency further farther calls caUs attention attention attention atten atten- tion to information n the tho accuracy of which is not not- doubted that cartridges fitted with I mushroom bullets bullets bullets' bullets bullets' bul bul- lets' lets havo o b been n delivered since sinco October of this year rear by the tho Union Metallic Cartridge company compau for tho the armament of the thc English h army In Tu reply I have tho the honor to refer reter to the letter of December 10 1011 1 of the Remington Union Arms Metallic Cartridge company of New York to your our excellency called forth by certain newspaper reports of statements alleged 1 to have beau made mado by you yoo in regard to the j b by that company of soft nosed bullets Prom From this letter hItter a n copy of which was sent to this department by tho the company it appears that instead cad of cartridges having been sold only a little over were manufactured and were Werf sold The letter lotter further asserts that these theo cartridges were made mado to supply a demand for a B better sporting cartridge with a n soft Boft nosed bullet bullot than had been manufactured manufactured heretofore and that such cartridges cart r ridges d es cannot be used in the military rifle of any foreign power The Thc company com corn pan pany adds add that its statement can bo substantiated ta and anti that it ia it ready to give ghe you OU any that you may require re roo ro- ro quiro quire on these potts points The department is I. now In receipt from irom tb tho company of ot a complete detailed de do- 1 tailed taik-il list of the persons to whom these cartridges were sold Prom From this list it appears that the tho cartridges were cre sold to I firms in lots of twenty to 2000 and andone andone one lot each t-ach of 1000 Of I Continued on paRe page e 3 3 REPLY TO KAISER Continued from pa page e 1 these 1 only cartridges wont went to British British Brit Brit- ish North Amer America a and to British Last hast A Africa I II If If however er you can the thc department de do- department with evidence that this or oran an any another other company are manufacturing nod selling for tor the use of the contending contend iD lug ing armies in Europe cartridges whoso use would contravene The Tue Ila Hague e convention con tho government o would nouM be bc glad Iad to be Le furnished with tho the evidence c and und tho the president directs ch mo me nip to inform you that ill in in case caso any nuy Amor American tall company compan is is shown hown to bo llo engaged cd in this thia traffic ho will willI u I use his influence to prevent so o far faras faras as po possible sible ible sales bales of such ammunition to toI I the powers engaged iu in the J European I war rat without regard to whether it i is the duty of this government upon legal or conventional grounds rounds to take such I action I In C In view of the publicity which has hc been n given ron en to your our excellency's complaint com coni plaint addressed to the department in these matters matter it is taken for granted that there can enn bo no objection on 11 your pa part rt that equal publicity bo ho given on to this note anti and tho the letter of ot tho Union I Metallic Cartridge o company addressed I to you on December 10 0 1914 I. I Accept excellency the renewed as as- I of or h consideration nn highest gh st |