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Show GERMANY MODIFIES U-BOAT WARFARE Reply to American Note Says No More Merchant Vessels Will Bo Sunk Before Being Visited and Searched Lays Blame on British Methods and United States Favoritism. The German government has made one great concession to America's demands by ordering commanders of submarines to sink no more merchant vessels without first visiting and searching search-ing them and giving those on board a chance to save their lives. Berlin. Germany's reply to tho American noto respecting submarine warfare, delivered by Foreign Secretary Secre-tary von Jagow to Ambassador Ub-rard. Ub-rard. Is as follows: Tho undersigned, on behalf of tho Imperial Im-perial German govornmont, hna tho honor to present to his excellency tho umbaBSii-ilor umbaBSii-ilor of tho United States. James V. Gerard, Ge-rard, tho following reply to tho noto of April to regarding tho conduct of German suhmnrlno uarfaro. Tho dermim government hnnded ovor to tho proper naval authorities for early Investigation the evidence concerning tho Sussox as communicated by tho government govern-ment of tho United States. Judging by tho results that tho investigation has hlherto yielded, the Gorman govomment Is allvo to the possibility that the ship mentioned In tho noto of April 1G ub having hav-ing be-n torpedoed by a Gorman subrna-rlno subrna-rlno Is actually Identical with tho Sussex. Sus-sex. The German government begs to re-servo re-servo further communication on tho subject sub-ject until certain points aro ascertained which aro of declslvo Importance for establishing es-tablishing the facts In tho caso. Should It turn out that tho commander was wrpng In assuming tho vessol to bo a man-of-war, tho Gorman government will not fall to draw the consequences resulting re-sulting therefrom. Denies Deliberate Intent. In connection with tho caso of tho Sussex Sus-sex tho government of the United States mado a series of statements, tho gist of which Is tho assertion thut tho lncldont Is to bo considered but one Instanco of a deliberate method of Indiscriminate de struction of vessels of all sorts, nationalities national-ities and destinations by German submarine subma-rine commandors. Tho German govornmont must emphatically emphat-ically repudiate tho assertion. Tho German Ger-man government, howovcr, thinks It of littlo avail to enter Into datalls In tho present stago of affairs, moro particularly particular-ly as tho governmentaof tho United States omitted to substanilato tho assertion by reference to concrete facts. Tho Gorman government will only state that It has Imposed far-reaching le-stralnts le-stralnts upon tho use of the submarlno weapon, solely In consideration of neutrals' neu-trals' Interests, In splto of tho fact that theso restrictions aro necessarily of advantage ad-vantage to Germany's enemies. No such consideration has aver been shown neutrals neu-trals by Great Hrltaln nnd her allies. Tho Get man submarlno forc.es have had, In fact, orders to conduct tho submarine warfare In accordance with tho general principles ot visit and search and the destruction de-struction of merchant vessels recognized by International law, tho solo exception being the conduct of warfare against enemy ene-my trado curried on enemy freight ships encountored tn tho war zone surrounding Great Britain. With regard to these, no assurances havo ever been given to the government of tho United States. No such assurances aro contained In tho declaration of February 8, 1916. Makes Further Concession. As tho German government repeatedly declared. It cannot dlspunso with tho uso of the submarlno weapon In tho conduct of warfaro agulnst enemy trado. Tho German government, however, has now decided to mako It a further concession adapting methods of submarlno war to tho Intercuts of neutrals. In reaching this decision tho German government Is actuated by considerations which aro above tho level of tho disputed question. Tho German government attaches no less Importance to tho sacred principles of humanity than tho government of tho Unitod States. It ngaln fully takes Into account that both governments for muny years co-operated In developing International Interna-tional law In conformity with these principles, prin-ciples, the ultlmato object of which hns always been to conllno warfaro on sea nnd Innd to armed forces of belligerents and to safeguard as far as posslblo non-combatants non-combatants against tho horrors of war. Cut although theso considerations aro of grent weight, they alono would not under present circumstances havo determined tho attitude of tho German government. For In answer to tho appeal by tho government gov-ernment or tho Unitod Stntes on behalf of tho snered principles of humanity nnd International law, the German government govern-ment must repeat 'once more with all emphasis, that It was not the German but tho Urltlsh government which Ignored all accepted rules of International law and extended this terrlllc war to tho lives nnd property of noncombntants. In self-dofenso ngalnst tho lllogal conduct con-duct of British warfare, whllo lighting n bitter struggle for national exlstonco. Germany had to resort to tho hnrd but effective weapon of submarlno warfaro. As matters stund, tho Gorman government govern-ment cannot but reiterate regret that tho sentiments of humanity which tho government govern-ment of the United States extends with such fervor to tho unhappy victims of submarine warfare nro not extended with the Bamo waimth of feeling to mnny millions of women nnd children who, ne-cordlng ne-cordlng to tho avowed Intention of tho Urltlsh government, shall bo starved, nnd who, by sufferings, shall force tho victorious vic-torious armies of tho central powers Into Ignominious capitulation Accuses U. S. of Favoritism. Tho German government. In agreement agree-ment with tho German people, falls to understand tho discrimination, all the moro ns It hns repeatedly and explicitly explicit-ly declared Itself ready to uso tho sub-marine sub-marine weapon In strict conformity with tho rules of International law, as recognized before tho outbreak of tho war. If Great Britain likewise wns rendy to adapt hor conduct of warfuro to theso rules. Sovernl attempts mndo by tho .gov- -Srf T-J-ernment of tho United States to nro-3 ' vail upon tho Urltlsh government to act accordingly failed because of (lat refusal on tho port of tho Urltlsh government. gov-ernment. Moreover, Great Qrltntn ngaln nnd ngnln hns violated International law, surpassing nil bounds In outraging-noutral outraging-noutral rights. Tho latest measure ndopted to Great Britain, declaring German bunker coal contraband and establishing conditions under which English bunker coal alono Is supplied to neutrals. Is nothing but nn unheard- of attempt by wy of exaction to force neutral tonnngo Into tho servlco of Urltlsh trade war. Tho German people knows that tho government of tho United States has tho power to conllno tho war to armed forces of the belligerent countries In tho Interest of humanity und maintenance mainte-nance of International law. Tho government gov-ernment of tho United Stntes would hnvo been certain of attaining this end hnd It been determined to Insist ngalnst Great Britain on tho Incontrovertible right to freedom of tho seas. But ns ' mntters stnnd tho German pcoplo Is under tho Impression that tho government govern-ment of tho United Stntes, whllo demanding de-manding that Germany, struggling for existence, shall restrain tho use of nn olTcctlvo weapon, nnd whllo mnklng compllnnce with theso demands a condition con-dition for maintenance of relations with Germnny. confines Itself to protests pro-tests ngalnst lllcgnl methods adopted by Germany's enemies. Moreover, tho German people knows to whnt considerable consid-erable extent Its enemies nro supplied with nil kinds of war material from ' the United States. It will, therefore, bo understood that tho nppenl mado by tho government of tho United Stntes to sentiments of humanity hu-manity and principles of International law cannot under tho circumstances meet tho hearty response from tho German people which such an appeal otherwise, nlwnys Is certain to find hero. If the Germnn government, nevertheless, neverthe-less, b resolved to go to tho utmost limit of concessions. It has been guided not alono by tho friendship connecting tho two great nations for over ono , hundred years, but also by tho thought of tho great doom which threatens the entire civilized world should the cruel and sanguinary war bo extended and prolonged. Germany Ready for Peace. Tho German govornmont. conscious of Germany's strength, twice within ( tho Inst few months announced beforo tho world Its readiness to make peace on a basis safeguarding Germany's vital vi-tal Interests, thus Indicating that It Is not Gormany's fault If peace Is attll withheld from tho nations of Europe. Tho German government feels all tho more Justified In declaring that responsibility respon-sibility could not bo homo before tho forum of mankind nnd In history If aftor twenty-one months of tho war's duration tho submarlno question undor discussion bctweon tho German government gov-ernment nnd tho government of tho United Stntes wero to tnlto a turn seriously seri-ously threatening maintenance of peace between the two nations. Ah fnr na lies with tho Gorman government. gov-ernment. It wishes to prevent things from taking such a course, Tho German Ger-man government, moreover. Is prepared to do Its utmost to confine operations of tho war for tho rest of its duration to the fighting forces of tho belligerents, belliger-ents, thereby also Insuring frocdom of the iens, n principle, upon which tho Gorman government believes now ns beforo tho war that It Is In ngreement with tho govornmont of tho United Stntes. New Order to Submarines. Tho Gormnn govornmont. guided by this Idea, notifies tho government of tho United Stntes that Germnn naval forces havo received tho following order: or-der: "In nccordanco with tho gonernl principles prin-ciples of visit nnd search and tho destruction de-struction of merchant vessels, recognized by International law, such vessels, both within and without tho area declared a naval war zone, shall not bo sunk without wnrnlng and without saving , human lives unless tho nhlp attempt to escnpo or offer resistance." But neutrals cannot expect that Germnny. Ger-mnny. forced to fight for existence shnll for tho nalco of neutral Interests restrict tho uso of nn offectlvo weapon If tho enomy Is permitted to continue to apply nt will methods of wnrfnro violating rules of intornutlonal law. Such n demnnd would bo Incompatible with tho character of neutrality, and tho German government Is eonvlnqed thnt tho government of tho Unitod States does not think of making such a demand, knowing thnt tho government of tho Unitod States repeatedly declared de-clared that it Is dotetrmlnod tn restore the prlnclplo of freedom of tho seas, from whatever quartor It has been violated. vio-lated. Urges U. S. Curb Britain. Accordingly the Gorman government Is confident that In consequence of tho now orders Issued to tho naval fotccs tho government of tho United Stntes will nlso now consider nil Impediments removed which may hnvo been In tho way of mutual co-operation townrd restoration of tho freedom of tho seas during tho war, ns suggested In the noto of July 23, 1915, and It docs not doubt that tho government of tho United Unit-ed Stntes will now demnnd and Insist that tho British government shnll forthwith observo tho rules of Intel national na-tional law universally recognized bu-foro bu-foro the war, as laid down In tho noioi presented by tlio government of tho United States to tho British government govern-ment December 28, 1914, nnd November Novem-ber G. 1915. Should stops tnken by tho govern- N. mont of tho United States not attain V' tho object It desires, to havo tho lawn 1 of humnnlty followed by nil bolllger-qnt bolllger-qnt nations, tho German government would then bo facing n now situation. In which It must reserve to Itsolf complete com-plete liberty of decision. Tho undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to rcnow to tho Amorlcan Amor-lcan ambassador assurances of highest consideration. JAGOW. |