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Show IGNORES PLEA OF GERMANY UNITED STATES WILL REFUSE EXTENSION OF BROKEN PACTS, SAYS LANSING. Clear Violations of Treaties During War Reason for Not Accepting "Scrap of Paper" From the Kaiser. Washington. German's "clear violations" vio-lations" of the treaties of 1799 and 1828 and her "disregard of the canons of international courtesy" are assigned assign-ed by the United States as reasons for refun;fc to reaffirm or extend these agreements. The note of refusal to Germany transmitted through Dr. Paul Ritter, the Swiss minister, was made public on March 26 by the state department und discloses that this government "is seriously considering" whether Germany's Ger-many's conduct has not in effect abrogated ab-rogated these treaties. The American note, signed by Secretary Sec-retary Lansing, says: "In view of the clear violations by the German authorities of the plain terms of the treaties in question, solemnly sol-emnly concluded on the mutual understanding under-standing that the obligations thereunder there-under would be faithfully kept in view further of the disregard of the canons of international courtesy and the com ity of nations in the treatment of Innocent In-nocent American citizens in Germany, the government of the United States cannot perceive any advantage which would flow from further engagements, even though' they were merely decla ratory of international law, entered into with the imperial government in regard to the meaning of any of the articles of these treaties or as supplementary sup-plementary to them. In these circumstances circum-stances therefore the government of the United States declines to enter into the special protocol proposed by the imperial government." The German note also made public March 26 was regarded by officials as practically proposing a new treaty. Nationals of either country resident in the other would in case of war have been free from internment; most would have been entitled to remain indefinitely and those seeking to leave would have been free to do so with all their property, specifically including includ-ing merchant vessels, would have been free from all sequestration except under un-der laws applying to neutrals also, have been cancelled, suspended or de-' flared void. The status of Germans in this country coun-try is not held to be affected by the refusal to reaffirm the old treaties and there will be no general internment intern-ment or persecutions. The most serious se-rious project now in mind is adoption of the mild Canadian system, by which Germans must register and remain within certain limits unless especially permitted to leave. Under this plan only 6,000 out of 80,000 Germans in Canada have been interned. |