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Show aun, UUB iRlNTSENl REPLYJO 0. S. Will Recede From Threat to Attack British Merchantmen If Great Britain Withdraw Food Embargo. RETALIATORY MEASURE Urges Danger of Neutral Shipping Ship-ping in War Zone and Advises Ad-vises Going Around Scotland. Washington Feb. 15. Count Bern-stcrff, Bern-stcrff, the German ambassador, today presented to the state department a note from his government announcing announc-ing that Germany stands ready to consider receding from its announced Intention of attacking British merchantmen, mer-chantmen, if Great Britain will withdraw with-draw its efforts to prevent foodstuffs from going to Germany for the civilian population The note declares that Germany's plan to attack British merchantmen was i retaliatory measure adopted be-cause be-cause of the alleged violation of lu-rernational lu-rernational law by Great Britain in trying to starve the noncombatant population of Germany and that the latter government Is ready to withdraw with-draw from Its purpose as expressed ln the naval war zone decree, as far as it applies to merchant vessels, as-soon as-soon as Great Britain, either of its own volition or as a result of repre-D( repre-D( utationa from the neutrals, expresses express-es her willingness to return to the usual praetice of international law on the question of foodstuffs. Merchant Vessels Being Armed. The German note adds that tne Berlin government has information that English merchant vessels are being be-ing armed and have orders to sail in groups for protection and further that they would try to sink submarines. subma-rines. It declared that there was now no question of searching these mi rchant ships but that German ships v. uuld fuht them because they now are held to be warships. The note declares further that Great Britain, according to the infor- j niation of Germany, intended to use j neutral flags and that therefore neu- tral shipping would be in danger in the war zoue. It was urged, therefore, there-fore, that meanwhile ueutral shipping observe the request of Germauy and go around the north of Scotland in the course which has been declared outside the war zone Detailed Answer Expected. It was stated that the note received by the ambassador today from his lor-eign lor-eign office and promptly carried by him personally to the state department, depart-ment, was not a reply to the receqc American note to Germany in regaiu to the war zone decree. A mort comprehensive com-prehensive and detailed reply to the communic atlou is expected soon Today's note from Germany, it was pointed out, constitutes a sort of intermediary in-termediary reply, possibly presented tn this government because of the act that the date when I he war zone decree goes into effect, February 18, is so close at hand. |