Show rupture with germany is is temporarily averted submarines will comply with international law in in future says note from berlin continuance of modified warfare depends upon the united states persuading england to abandon illegal blockade berlin by wireless to sayville fayville Sa N Y following is the text of the note of the german government in reply to the american note respecting sub marine warfare delivered lell vered on an thursday by gottlieb von jagow the tor for eign secretary to ambassador ambassador gerard the undersigned on behalf of the imperial german government has the honor to present to bis his excellency the ambassador of the united states mr james W gerard the following reply to the note of april 20 regard ing the conduct of german submarine warfare the german government handed over to the proper naval authorities tor for early investigation the evidence concerning the sussex as communicate ed by the government of the united states judg judging ing by the results that the investigation has hitherto yielded the german government Is all alive e to vinen the possibility that the ship men tinned in the note of april 10 as hav ing been torpedoed by a german sub marine is actually identical with the sussex the german government begs to reserve further communication on the matter until certain points are ascer talked which are of decisive import ance for establishing the facts of the case should it turn out that the corn com mander was wrong in assuming suming ds the vessel to be a man of war the ger man government will not fall to draw the consequence re resulting alting denies it Is one of series in connection with the case of the sussex the government of the united states made a series of statements the gist of aich is the assertion that the incident is to be considered but one instance of a deliberate method of indiscriminate destruction of ves yes bels eels of all byrts sorts nationalities and des ti nations by german submarine corn com tn in anders the german government must em repudiate the assertion the german government however thinks it of little avail to enter into details in the present stage of affairs more particularly as the government of the united states omitted to sub stant late the assertion by reference to concrete facts the german government will only state that it has imposed tar far reaching restraints upon the use of the sub marine weapon solely in conff cons dera tion of neutrals interests in spite of the fact that these restrictions are necessarily of advantage to germany s enemies no such consideration has ever been shown neutrals by great britain and her allies principles of submarine warfare the german submarine forces have had in fact orders to conduct the submarine warfare in accordance with the general principles of visit and search and the destruction of mer chant vessels recognized by internal lional law the sole exception being the conduct of warfare against enemy trade carried on enemy freight ships encountered in the war zone surround ing great britain with regard to these no assurances have ever been g given I 1 ven to the government of the unit ed states no such assurances are contained in the declaration of peb feb auary 8 1916 the german government can not admit any doubt that these orders were given or are executed in good faith errors actually occurred they can in no kind of warfare be avo ded altogether allowances must be made in the conduct of naval warfare against an enemy resorting to all kinds of ruses whether permissible or illicit but apart from the possibility of errors naval warfare just like warfare of land implies unavoidable dangers for neutral persons and goods enter ing the fighting zone even in cases where the naval is confined to ordinary forms of cruiser warfare neu aral persons and goods repeatedly come to grief the german government has re heatedly peat edly and explicitly pointed out the dangers from mines that have led to the loss of neutral ships solicited ted aid of america the german government has made proposals to the government of the united states in order to reduce to a minimum for american travelers and goods the inherent dangers of naval warfare unfortunately ane govern ment of the united states slates decided not t to 0 accept the proposals had it accepted the government of the unit ed states would have been inspru mental in preventing the greater part of the accidents that the american 1 citizens have met with in the mean time the german government still stands by its otter offer to come to an agree ment along these lines As the german government repeat edly declared it can not dispense with the use of the submarine weapon in the conduct of warfare against en emy trade the german government however has now decided to make a further concession adapting methods it submarine war to the interests of 0 neutrals in reaching this decision the ger man government is actuated by con side rations which are above the level of the disputed question in sympathy with principles the german government attaches no less importance to the sacred principles of humanity than the gov eminent of the united states it again fully takes into account that both gov ern ments tor for many years operated cooperated in developing international law in con with these principles the alti mate object of which has aalga always s been to 0 o confine warfare on sea and land to armed forces of belligerents and sate safe guard as tar far as possible non combat ants against the horrors of war but although these considerations are of great weight they alone would not un der present circumstances have deter mined the attitude of the german gov eminent por for in answer to the ap peal by the government of the united states on behalf of the sacred prin caples of humanity and international law the german government must re peat once more with all emphasis that it was not the german but the british government which ignored all accepted rules of international law and extended this terrible war to the lives and property of combatants noncombatants aon non having no regard whatever for the in teresta and rights of neutrals and non combatants that through this method of warfare have been severely injured charges U S discriminates in self defense against the illegal conduct of Dri british tish warfare while fighting a bitter struggle for national existence germany had to resort to the hard but effective weapon of sub marine warfare As matters stand the german gov eminent can not but reiterate regret that the sentiments of humanity which the government of the united states extends with such fervor to the un happy victims of submarine warfare are not extended with the same warmth of feeling to many millions of women and children who according to the avowed intention of the british government shall be starved and who by sufferings shall force the victor ious lous armies of the central powers into ignominious capitulation the ger man government in agreement with the german people tails falls to understand this discrimination all the more as it has repeatedly and explicitly declared itself ready to use the submarine weapon in strict conformity with the rules of international laws las as lecog nihed before the outbreak of the war it if great britain likewise was ready to adapt the conduct of warfare to these rules several attempts made by the gov eminent of 0 the united states to prevail upon the british government to act accordingly failed because of flat refusal on the part of the british gov eminent moreover great britain again and again has violated internal dional law surpassing all bounds in outraging neutral rights the latest measure adopted by great brita britain I 1 n de daring claring german bunker coal contra band and establishing conditions un der which english bunker coal alone Is supplied to neutrals is nothing but n i unheard of attempt by way of ex action to force neutral tonnage into the service of british trade war admits power of U S the german people know that the government of the united states has the power to confine the war to armed forces of the belligerent countries in the interest of humanity and amainte nance of international law the gov eminent of the united states would haie lime been certain of attaining this end had it been determined to insist against great britain on the incontro incontri rights to freedom of the seas but as matters stand the german peo pie is under the impression that the government of the united states while demanding that germany gling for existence shall restrain the use of an effective weapon and while making compliance with these de mands a condition for maintenance of relations with germany confines itself to protests against illegal meth adopted by ty a enemies moreover the german people knows to what considerable extent its en emles are supplied with all kinds ot of war material from he the united states it will therefore be understood that the appeal made by the govern ment of the united states to sent ments ot of humanity and principles of 0 international law cannot under the cir cumston ces meet the same nearly re from the german people which such an appeal otherwise always Is tain to find here it if the germ germa german n soy nevertheless la Is resolved to go to the utmost limit ot of concessions it has been guided not alone by the friendship connecting the two great na eions for oter mier one hundred years but also by the thought of the great doom which threatens the civilized world should the thin cruel and sanguinary war be extended and prolonged germany ready for peace the german government con of germany germanys s strength twice within the last few months announced before the world its readiness to make peace on a basis safeguarding ger many s vital interests thus indicating that it Is not riot germany s fault if peace Is still withheld from the nations ol 01 0 europe the german government feels all the more justified in ing that responsibility could not be borne before the forum of 0 mankind and in history it after twenty one months of the wars duration fe submarine question under discussion be tween the german government and the government of the united states were to take a turn seriously threaten ing maintenance ot of peace between tho the two nations wishes to prevent break As tar far as lies with the german government it wishes to prevent things from taking such a course the ger man mail government moreover Is prepared to do Us its utmost to confine oper allons of the war tor for the rest of ita its duration to the fighting for forces of f th the 1 belligerents thereby also insuring g freedom of the seas a principle upon which the german government believes BOW now as before that it Is la in agreement with the government ot of the united states the german government guided by this idea notifies the government of the united states that german naval forces have received the follow ing order in accordance with the general principles of visit and search and the destruction of merchant ves yes sels 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 the ship attempt to escape or offer resist ance but neutrals cannot expect that germany forced to fight tor for existence shall tor for the sake of neutral interests restrict the use of an effective weapon it if the enemy is permitted to continue to apply at will methods ol 01 warfare violating rules of international law such a demand would be incompatible with the character of neutrality and the german government Is convinced that the government of the united states does not think of making such a demand knowing that the govern ment of the united states repeated ly declares that it Is determined to restore the principle ot of freedom of the seas from whatever quarter it has haz been violated seeks mutual co go operation accordingly the german govern ment Is confident that in c consequence of the new orders issued to the naval forces the government ot of the united states will also consider all impell ments removed which may have beer in the way of mutual operation cooperation co to ward restoration of the freedom of the seas during the war as suggested in the note of july 23 1915 and it does not doubt that the government of the united states will now demand and insist that the british government shall forthwith observe the rules ot gf international law universally lecog nihed before the war nar as are laid down in the notes presented by the govern ment of the united states to the brit ish government december 28 1914 and november 5 1915 1 I should steps taken by the govern ment of the united states not attain the object it desires to have the laws of humanity followed by all balliger bel liger ent nations the G german erman government would then be facing a new situation in which it must reserve to itself corn com liberty of decision the undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to the amer lean ambassador assurances of h gh est consideration |