Show U S S. S GOVERNMENT t lAKES FIRM STAND STANO t NOTE OTE DELIVERED AT BERLIN IN INs i f s r REPLY TO GERMAN NOTE i i. i OF JULY 8 1 i t United States Will Wll C Continue to J 4 4 Contend for Free Freedom om of Hof the J f Y t 1 fi f Seas and Demands Rt Repa 1 if i for Lives Sacrificed v i J i j Washington Washington-T The he text of th the r reply X la YV of f the United States Stales to the German rm p t note on the Lusitania and the gener general l i Vv J l subject of Germanys Germany's submarine wary war- war L 7 y if f fe y was made public on July 23 7 v at t the state department f ti A x 1 Following is the of the ther the r latest Am American note to Germany The secretary of state to tc 1 i dor Gerard Department nt of State Washington July 21 1915 You You are 1 instructed to deliver textually text the fol fol- lowing flowing note to the minister of foreign r affairs J i F L The fhe note of the imperial German t government governments dated the of July 5 has received the careful con con- of the government of the United States and it regrets to be obliged to say that it has found it very unsatisfactory because it falls fails to to meet the real differences between the two governments and indicates n no noway way In which the accepted principles 61 law and humanity may mal be applied Yi in In l the grave matter in in controversy but proposes es on the contrary arrangements arrangements ar- ar for a partial suspension of those principles which virtually set t them aside i One Point Satisfactory The government of the United States Stales notes wIth wilh satisfaction that the imperial German government recognizes recognizes recognizes without reservation the validity of of the principles insisted upon in tho several communications which this has government t has addressed to the imperial im tin- I I penal German German- government with re re- gard gars to its announcement of a war warzone warzone warzone zone and the use of submarines against merchantmen on the high seas the seas the principle that the high seas are free frel that the character and cargo of a merchantman must first be ascertained before she can lawfully law fully be seized or destroyed and that the lives of non-combatants non may in hi no case be put In jeopardy unless the r vessel resists or seeks to esc escape pe after being summoned to submit to examInation examination exam exam- for a belligerent act of retaliation retaliation is per se lie an act beyond the law I and the defense of an act as retaliatory tory Cory ry is an admission that it is illegal Keen Disappointment The l government of the United States is however keenly disappointed disappoint disappoint- ed to to find that the imperial German government regards itself as in large degree exempt from the obligation to o observe serve these principles es even where neutral vessels are by what It Jt believes the policy and practice of the government of Great Britain to be beIn bein in the present war with regard to neutral neutral neutral neu neu- commerce The imperial German government will wUl readily understand that the government of the United States cannot discuss the policy of the he government of Great Britain with regard to neutral trade except with that government itself and that it must regard the conduct of other belligerent belligerent bel bel- governments as Irrelevant to any discussion with the imperial German German German Ger Ger- man government of what this govern ment meat regards as grave and unjustifiable a able 19 violations of the rights of American Amen Ameri c can n citizens by German naval com corn manders Illegal and inhuman acts however justifiable justifiable- they may be bethought thought to be against an enemy who is believed to have acted in contravention contravention contra contra- 1 of law and humanity areman are man manifestly f indefensible when they deprive deprive de de- de i neutrals of their acknowledged rights particularly when they violate the right to life Itself If a belligerent ent cannot retaliate against an enemy j without injuring the lives of neutrals neutras us lis well as their property humanity aswell as aswell d. d well well as justice and a due regard for forthe forthe forthe the dignity of neutral powers should dictate that the practice be discon- discon timed l. l If persisted in it would in such circumstances constitute an unpardonable unpardonable un un- unpardonable un- un pardonable offense against the sovereignty eighty of the neutral nation affected The government of the United States Slates is not unmindful of the extraordinary conditions created by this war or of the radical alterations of circum stances and aDd method of attack produced d by the use of instrumentalities of naval warfare w which the nations of I Ithe the world cannot have had in view when the existing rules of International international international law Jaw w were re formulated and it Is ready to tomake make every reasonable allowance allowance allowance al al- al- al lowance for these novel and un unexpected ed aspects of war at sea but it cannot cannot can can- not consent to abate any essential or fundamental right of Its people because because because be be- cause of a mere alteration of circum circum- stance The rights of neutrals in time ol ot otar car var are based upon principle not expediency and the principles ar are immutable le Duty of Belligerents It Is the duty and obligation of belligerents belligerents bel bet to find flad a way to adapt the new circumstances to them The events of the past two months have clearly indicated that it Is pcs pcs- 1 cible and practicable to conduct such submarine operations as have charac the activity of the imperial German krman navy within the so called war warzone warzone warzone zone in substantial accord with the accepted practices of regulated war war- fare The whole world has bas looked with interest and increasing satisfaction satisfaction satisfaction tion at the demonstration of that possibility possibility pos pos- possibility by German nav naval l command command- er ers It is manifestly possible therefore therefore therefore there there- fore to lift the whole practice of submarine submarine sub sub- marine attack above the criticism which it has aroused and remove the chief causes of offense In view of the admission of illegality made by the Imperial government when it pleaded the right of retaliation retaliation tion In defense of its acts and in view of at the manifest possibility of conforming conform conform- conforming ing to the established rules ruler of naval warfare the government of the United UnitEd United Unit Unit- ed States States' cannot believe that the imperial imperial imperial im im- government will longer refrain from disavowing the wanton act of its naval commander in sinking the Lusitania Lust Lusi tania or from offering reparation f for forthe or orthe the American lives lost so far as repa reps reparation ration can be made for a needless destruction destruction destruction de de- de- de of human life by an illegal megal act i Suggestion Not Accepted The government of the United States while not indifferent to the friendly spirit in which it Is made cannot accept the suggestion of the imperial government that certain vessels vessels ves sels be designated and agreed upon which shall shaH be free on the seas now illegally proscribed The very agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment would by implication subject other vessels to Illegal attack and would be a curtailment and therefore an abandonment of the principles for which this gov government contends and which in times Umes of calmer counsels counsels' every nation would concede as of course The government of the United States and the imperial Germon German government government government gov gov- contending for the same great object have long stood together in urging the very principles upon which the tie government of the United States now so solemnly insists They Thy are both contending for the freedom of or the seas The government of the United States will continue to contend for that freedom from whatever quarter quarter ter violated without ut compromise and at any cost It invites the practical co cooperation of the imperial Germ German n government at this time when cooperation op co oration may accomplish most and this great common object be most strikingly strUt strUt- strikingly and effectively achieved Can Be Accomplished The Imperial German government I expresses the hope that this object ct may be in some measure accomplished accomplish accomplish- ed even before the present war ends It can be The government of the United States not only feels obliged to Insist upon it by whomsoever vio ylo- violated or ignored and in the protection protection protection tion of its own citizens but is also deeply interested in seeing it made practicable between the belligerents themselves and holds itself ready at any time to 10 act as the common friend I who may be privileged to suggest a way I In the meantime the very value government sets upon thelong the thelong thelong long and unbroken friendship between the people and government of the United States Scales and the people and government gov gov- govI I of the German nation impels it to press very solemnly upon the imperial German government the necessity for a scrupulous observance of neutral rights in this critical mat at ter Friendship itself itsel prompts it to tosa sa say to the Imp imperial German government govern govern- ment meat that repetition by commanders of the German naval vessels of acts in contravention of those rights must be regarded by the government of or the United States Stales when they affect AmerIcan American Amer Amer- ican scan citizens as deliberately un un- un- un friendly Signed LANSING |