Show GERMANY MAKES TO NOTE OFFERS IMMUNITY FOR PASSENGER V VESSELS ENGAGED IN legitimate TRADE the same policy will be extended to a i reasonable number of ne neutral atral Pa cenger ships under the american flag berlin the reply of the imperial government to the american note regarding the sinking of the lusitania was delivered to ambassador jacq IV gerard on july 9 the text of the note follows berlin Derl ln july 8 the undersigned undersigner under signed has the honor tn ta make the following reply to hla his excellency cel lency ambassador gerard to the tote bote of the ultimo re the impairment of american interests by the german submarine war var the imperial government learned with satisfaction from the note low how earnestly tho the government of the united states Is concerned in seeing the principles of humanity realized in the present war also this appeal ready echo in germany and the imperial government ment la Is quite willing to permit its statements tate ments and decision in ili tho the present nt case to bo be gove governed by the principles of humanity just as it liaa hais done always recalls pat past agreements the imperial government welcomed with gratitude when the american government in the note of may fay 15 itself rec recalled tilled that germany had always permitted itself to bo be governed ly by the principles ps of progress aud and humanity to in dealing with the law of maritime war since the tha time when frederick the great negotiated with john adams denjamin franklin and ana thomas jefferson the treaty of friendship and commerce of september 9 1785 between prussia and the I 1 lie ic of the west german and amerlean can statesmen have in fact always stood together in the struggle tor for the freedom of the seas and for the of peaceable trade in the international proceedings which since jinye been conducted for the regulation of the laws lawa of maritime war germany and america have jointly advocated progressive principles especially the abolishment et at the right of capture at sea and protection of the interests of neutrals mindful of neutral interests even at the beginning of the present war the german government immediately med lately declared its willingness to ratify the declaration of london and thereby subject itself in the use of its naval forces to alt all the restrict restrictions iona i II JI germany ill e wise has been always te of the principle that war should be ba conducted against the arned and organized forces of an enemy country but that the enemy civilian population must be spared us its far as aa possible from the ruea measures of war the imperial govern government menk cherishes tho the definite hope liepe that some way will be found when peace to la concluded or perhaps earlier to regulate the law of maritime war in a manner guaranteeing the freedom of the seas and will welcome it with gratitude and if it can work land band in hand band with the american government on that occasion paralyze german traffic it if in the present war the principles amich should be the he ideal of tho the future have been trave traversed more and pore the longer its duration the german government lau has no guilt tb therein erel n it to lc known to tho the american gover government n how germanys germanas Germ anys adversaries by br completely paralyzing peaceful traffic between germany and neutral countries have aimed from the very be ginning and with increasing lack of consideration at the destruction not so BO much of the armed forces as aa the life of the german nation ing in doing so 0 o all the rules rule of international law and disregarding all tho the rights of neutrals on november 3 1914 england declared the north sea a war area anti anil by wanting planting poorly anchored mines and nd by tho the stoppage arid and casturo of vessels made pt asage extremely dangerous and difficult for neutral to so by that hit actually blockading neutral coasts and ports contrary to all international law long before the beginning of submarine warfare england practically completely intercepted legitimate neutral navigation to germany also thus germany was driven to a submarine war on an trade submarine war forced on november 14 1814 1914 the jhc premier declared in the house bouse of corn com toona that it was one of glands En principal tasks to prevent food tor for the german population from reaching germany via nin neutral atral ports since march I 1 england has been taking from neutral ships without further formality all 11 ll merchandise proceeding to germany as aa well as all merchandise coining from germany even when neutral imo property perty just us its it was also with the doers boers the german people Is ils now cov to be given tho the choice pr of perishing from atrom starvation with tta its and child children renor or of relinquishing its ita independence pen dence while our enemies ori emles thus loudly and openly proclaimed war without mercy until our utter niter destruction we were conducting war in self defense for our nat national lonal existence and for the sake of peace of an assured perm permanency wo we have been obliged to adopt a submarine i warfare to meet the tie declared lared I 1 intentions T tent ions of our enemies and th the e me method of warfare adopted by them in contravention of international law fighting for existence with all its ita efforts in principle to protect neutral life and property from damage as much as possible the german government recognized unreservedly edly in its ita memorandum ol of feb auary 4 that the interests teresta in of neutrals might uffer from the submarine warfare Ilo however wever the american govern merit ment will also understand and appreciate that in the tight fight for existence which has haa been forced upon germany by its adversaries and announced by them it Is the sacred duty of the lm imperial government to do all within its power to protect and save the lives of german subjects it if we the imperial government were derelict lit la these its duties it would be guilty before god and history of the violation of those principles of highest humanity which are the foundation of every national existence case of lusitania the case cage of the lusitania Lusi tanta shows horrible clearness to what jeopardizing ard izing liing of human lives the manner of conducting war employed by our ad ver saries leads leada in the most direct contradiction of international law all distinction between merchantmen merchantman merchant men and war vessels have been obliterated by the order to british merchantmen merchantman merchant men to arm themselves and to ram submarines and the promise of re rewards and neutrals neu who use mer chantlen chant men as travelers thereby have bave been exposed in an increasing degree to all tho the dangers of war it if the commander of the tha german submarine which destroyed the tha busl tania had caused the crew and gers gera to take to vie the boats before firing 1 a torpedo this would have in meant bant the sure destruction of his bla own vessel after tho the experiences in sinking much smaller and less seaworthy yes vea sels it was waa to be expected that a mighty ship like the lusitania would remain above water long enough even after tho the tor A ging to permit passengers to enter the ships boats circumstances cum stances of a very peculiar kind bind especially vie UK presence on OB board of large quantities of highly explosive materials defeated this expectation in addition it may be pointed out that it if the lusitania had been spared thousands of cases oi 01 munitions would have been sent to germanys germanas Germ anys enemies and thereby thousands of german mothers and children robbed of bread winners will not hinder Affie american rican ships in the spirit of friendship wherewith the german nation has been imbued m towards the union and its in habitants since the earliest days of IVI iti existence the imperial government will always be ready to do all it can during the present war also to prevent the jeopardizing of lives of american citizens the imperial government tha ta t american ships hips will not be hindered in the prosecution of legitimate ship ping and the lives of Amo american rican citizens in neutral vessels shall not DO be placed in jeopardy eo pardy in order to exclude any unforeseen dangers to american passenger steamers made possible in view of the conduct of maritime war by germanys germanas Germ anys adversaries german submarines will be instructed to permit the tree free and safe passage of such ouch passenger steam era when made recognizable cognisable re by special markings and noti notified fled a reasonable time lime in advance the imperial government however confidently hopes that the american government will assume to guarantee that these vessels have no contraband on board details of arrangement for the unhampered passage of these vessels to be I 1 agreed upon by the naval authorities of both sides can increase number of ships in order to furnish adequate facilities for travel across the atlantic for american citizens the german government submits tor for consideration a proposal to increase the number of available steamers by installing in passenger service a reasonable num her ber of neutral steamers under thi th american flag the exact number to be agreed upon under the same condition as aa the above mentioned american steamers tho the imperial government government believes it can assume that in this manner adequate facil facilities lUes for travel across the atlantic ocean can be afforded american citizens there would therefore appear to be no compelling necessity c tor for american citizens to travel to europe in time of wor war on ships carrying an enemy flag in particular the imperial government la is unable to alinio that american citizens can protect an enemy ship through the tha mere fact act of their presence on board would allow four enemy ships germany merely followed england E g example when she aho declared part of the high sea an area of 0 war consequently accidents suffered by neutrals on enemy ships in an area of war cannot well be judged differently from accident q to which nen nea train imia are rill all times exposed at the seat scat of war on land when they betake themselves into dangerous localities in il spite spile of 0 previous warnings li if however it should not lie be possible for or the american government to te re quire an n adequate number of neutral a passenger steamers lit camers the imperial government sa Is prepared to no objection to tho the placing under the american flan flae by the american Amet ican government ot of four enemy passenger steamers for passenger traffic be tween teen north america and england assurances of free and safe passage for american passenger steamer ote ameri 1 would extend to apply under the identical preconditions to these for guerly hostile passenger steamers hopes for good offices office the preAl president dent of the united states lias a declared his readiness in a way deserving of thap thanks kii to communicate and suggest proposals to the govern ment of great britain with parti particulate culat reference refe renco to the alteration of marine win vr i l always be klad glad to make use of thi the good offices of the president and hopes that hla his efforts in the present case us as well as in the direction of the lofty ideal of the freedom of the seas will lead to an understanding the undersigned undersigner under signed requests the am bas cassador ba asador to bring the above to the 1 knowledge bowl 0 d ge of 0 the american govern ment and avail himself of the to renew to hla his excellency the assurances of hla his most distinguished consideration t signed YON VON JAGOW 11 |