Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1916
GERMANY PUTS BLAME ON U. S. AND ENGLAND
Conflnuod From Pags 1. e
guarantees to make amends it would deem proper finder the
cii‘cugstances)i : . Y
In connection with the case of the Sfisfiex,' the United
States made a series of statements, the gist of whichiis the
asse!:tipn that the incident to be considered was but one in
stance of a deliberate method of the indiseriminate destrue
tion of vessels of all sorts and all nationalities and destina
tions by German submarine commanders. : i
¢ The German Government must'émphatically‘repudi‘at/e the
assertion, but the German Government, however, thinks it of
little avail to enter into details in the present stage of affairs,
mare particularly as the Government of the United States
omit_ted to substantiate by reference to concrete facts.
The German Government will only state that. it-hu im
posed far-reaching restraints upon the use of the submarine
weapon solely in consideration of the interests of neutrals, in
spite of the fact that these restrictions were necessarily of ad
vantage to Germany’s enemies, : "
No such consideration has ever been shown to neutrals
by Great Britain or her allies. I ,
German submarine forces have, in fact, had orders to c;m
duet submarine warfare in accordanlce with the general prin
cipies of visit and search. The destruetion of merchant ships
has been recognized by international law, the sole exception
being the conduct of warfare against enemy trade carried on
against enemy freight ships encountered in the war zone wa
ters around Great Britain (British Isles). With regard to
these no assurances were ever given to the United States Gov
ernment.
No such assurances were eontained in the declaration of
February & 1916.
The German Government ean not admit that it has any
doubt about these orders being carried out in good faith (by
the submarine commanders).
Errors actnally (may have) oceurred. In no kind of war
fare can they be avoided altogether, and allowanee must be
made in the conduet of naval warfare against an enemy that is
resorting to all kinds of ruses, be they permissible or illegal.
But apart from the possibility of errors, naval ;'nrfm,
like warfare on land, implies unavoidable dangers for neu
fral persons and goods entering a fighting zone.
Even in cases where naval actions were confined té the
ordinary form of cruiser (man-of-war) fighting, neutral per
sons and goods have repeatedly come to grief.
The German Government has repeatedly and explieitly
pointed out dangers of mines that have led to the loss of numer
ous ships.
The German Government has made several proposals to
the Government of the United States in order to reduce to a
minimum for American travelers and goods the (inherent) nat
ural dangers of naval warfare.
Unfortunately the Government of the United States de.
eided not to accept the proposals. Had it accepted them the
Government of the United States would have been instru.
mental in preventing a greater part of the accidents that Amer.
ican citizens have met with. In the meantime the German
Government still stands by its offer to come to an agreement
along these lines, .
The German Government has repeatedly deelared it ean
not dispense with the use of the submarine weapon in the
conduet of warfare against enemy trade,
The German Government, however, has now decided to
make further concessions, adapting the methods of wbm'urim
warfare to the interests of neutrals. In reaching this deei.
sion the German Government was actuated by eonsidera.
tions which are above the level of the questions in dispute.
The German Government attaches no less importance to
the saered principles of humanity than the Government of the
United States. Again, it fully takes into account the fact that
both governments (German and Ameriean) have for years co.
operated in developing international law in conformity with
these principles (of humanity ). The object has been always
to confine warfare on both sea and land to armed forees of
belligerents and safeguard as far as possible noncombatants
against the horrors of war
But, while these considerations are of great weight, they
alone, under the present circumstances, would not by them
selves have determined the attitude of the German Govern
ment -
In answer to the appeal by the Government of the United
States on hehalf of the sacred principles of humanity and in
ternational law, the German Government must repest once
more with all the emphasis at ts command that it was nej e
German but the British Government which, ignoring all the
accepted.mleé of international law, extended this terrible war
to th; lives and‘prop;rty of noncombatanis, having no regard
whatever for the interests and rights of neutrals and non
combatants that, thrqugh this method of kwarfare, ‘have been
severely injured. : ’
In self-defense against the ille.gal conduct of warfare by
the British, and while fighting a bitter struggle for her very
nationallexistence, Germany has had to resort to the hard but
effective weapon of submarine warfar_e. .
As matters stand, the German Government can not but re
iterate that the sentiments of humanity, which the G(:vernment
of the United States extends with such fervor to unhappy
vietims of submarine warfare, are not extended with the same
warmth of feeling to many millions of women and children
who, according to the avowed intentions of the British Gov
ernment shall be starved and who, by ’s‘uffering, shall force the
vietorious armies of the Ceutral Powers into ignominious
capitulation. : R
The German Government, in agreement with (as well as)
the German people, fails to understand this discrimination, all
the more as this Government ,hasf explicitly declared itself
ready to use the submarine in striet conformity with the rules
of international law as recognized before the outbread of the
war, if Great Britain will likewise adapt her conduect of the
war to these rules.
Several attempts made by the Government of the United
States to prevail upon the British Government to‘ act accord
ingly (in accordance with the principles of international law)
failed, because of the flat refusal on the part of England.
Moreover, Great Britain, ever since the beginning of the
war, again and again violated international law, surpassing all
bounds in outraging neutral rights. The latest measure adopt
ed by Great Britain in declaring German bunker coal contra
band and establishing conditions under which only English
bunker coal can be supplied to neutrals is nothing but an un
heard of attempt, by way of the exaction of foree, to com.
pel tonnage to enter the service of the British.
U. 8. HAS POWER TO
CONFINE WAR,
The German people know that
the Government of the United
States has power to confine the
war to armed forces and to bel
ligerent countries in the interests
of humanity and to maintain (the
integrity) of international lnv..
The Government of the United
States would have been certain in
atraining its end, had it been de
termined to insist (protest)
against Great Britain on its in
controvertible rights to freedom
of the high seas.
But, as matters stand, the Ger
man people are under the impres
sion that the Government of the
United States, while demanding
} that Germany, struggling for ex
i istence, shall restrain the use of
‘ its effective weapon, while mak-
Ing compliance with these de
. mands (of the United States)
~ necessary for the maintenance of
(amicable) relations with Ger.
many, confined itself to protests
againet illegal methods adopted
by Germany's snemies.
Moreover, the German people
know to what eonsiderable extent
the enemies (of Germany) are
supplied with all kinds of war
Mmaterials from the United Stater,
It will, therefore, be understood
that the appeal made by the Gov
ernment of the United States to
_ the sentiments of humanity and
the principles of international law
can not mest with the same
hearty response from the German
people which such an appeal
would othersise always cortainly
find here
If the German Government,
nevertheless resnived to go taihe
uimost limit of concessions, it has
not alone been guided by the
friendship connecting the twe
great nations for more than 180
years, but alss by the thought of
the great doom = hich threatens
the entire civilised worid should
tae crusl and sangsinary war be
erianded and protlonged
EECOND ADD NOTE
GERMANY TWICE OFFERED
READINESS TO MAKE PEACE.
Thad German Government
crmprings of Germany « strongth
Tatee nithin the et sou months
fwey annaunced Bafare the w o'l
sur reafiness 16 Make peare o o
basis safeguarding Germany's
Vite! interests, thus indicating
hat 1t s net Germanv's fault if
peare i withheld from the sa.
tiome as Rurrpe
The German Oaverament fesly
all the mare justified s deciare
et reapensibility could pot e
borne (By Germany) befoss the
-I'HE ATLANTA GEORGIAN
. Forum of Mankind If after 21
~ months of warfare the submarine
quesiion under discussion be
tween the German and United
Stutes Governments were (had)
taken a turn to threaten seriously
the maintenarce of peace between
the two nations.
As far as lies with the German
Government, it wishes to prevent
~ things from taking such a course.
‘ Ths German Government, more
~ over, is prepared to do its utmost
to confine the operations of the
war during the balance of its
duration to fighting forces of bel
ligerents, thereby Insuring the
freedom of the seas, a principle
upon which the German Govern
ment belleves now, as it did he
fore, to be in agreement with the
Government of the United States.
The German Government, guld
ed by this ides, hereby notifies
the Government of the United
States that German naval forces
have received the following or
uers: '
“In accordance with the general
principles of search and destruc
mh.o" imw” 'l::
such n.’g both within and
without the srea declared & war
zone (the waters around the
Britidh Isles) shall .::t be sunk
without w without
saving hm:oum unless ships
Sttempt to escape or offer resist
ance.
EXPECTS ENGLAND BE
FORCED TO CHANGE, TOO.
“But neutrals can nos expect
Germany. forced to fight for her
~ Yery existence, shall, for the sake
of neutral interests, gestrict the
use of her effective weapon (the
submarine) if the enemy Is per.
mitted to apply at will methods
of warfare violating the rules of
International law
“Buch & demand would be in
compatible with character (hon
or) and neutrality and the Ger.
man Government s convinesd
that the Government of the
United Ktates does not think of
making such demand. knowing
that the Government of the
United States has repeatedly de.
clared that it is dstermined 1o re.
store the principie of the freedom
of the seas, no matter from what
Quarter they he freedom of the
tene) are winiated
Areordingly. the German Goy
ernment s ronfident that the con
sequences of the new orders Is.
susd 1o the naval forces will be
that the United States now con
sider all impediments removed
Which have been in ihe way of
mutoal oo aperation tonard fes
tovation of the freedom of the
Seas during the remainder of the
WAF. 8% sugmested in he note of
July 23 1915, and it (Ihe Gerpan
Government) docs net doubt that
the Government of the ' nited
.Oll“‘l" now demand and In
el t the British Government
thatl farthuith ohserve the inter.
natianal laws universally recng
pined Defore the war and which
ware 1004 Aonn in notes present.
o 4 By the U'nited Beates s Fre
sand on Decomber 30, 1914, and
Neovember & 1913
hould the stens tabon by Ihe
lun Siates Government faft
5 altain the ahject it desires | &
I Bave the laws of hamanity sod.
sowed by all bolligerent nations
the Aermar Gnvermment wl4
then be faring & now situstion in
which 'm '::on-o for jtaeit
ramniete ihesty Arriahrn
The urdorsionsd availe b mests
Aeviien Ambertes oo to the
an Am Nesyrances
of the h.ghest conmeration
Petain’s Soldiers Give Up
Leave to Get Chance to
Take Trench With Steel
By C. F. BERTELLI,
Staff Correspondent of the Interna
tional News Service,
PARIS, May b6.—News from
Verdun yesterday shows that
General Petain's gains at Mort
Homme this week are the most
important French successes of
the entire Verdun battle.
There was great enthusiasm at
7 o'clock yesterday evening when
word came from the Meuse bhat
tle field that the French had
captured valuable positions
northwest of the hill.
The attack was delivered by
part of an army corps that has
several times covered itself with
glory in this battle,. The men
were about to be given a week's
leave when jt was learned that
an operation was impending and
they begged to be allowed to
carry it out. General Petain
yielded.
“And,” said a wounded officer,
“the men fought like lions. We
carried the whole position at the
point of the bayonet without fir
ing a single shot.”
“We dashed at them laughing
aloud,” said a wounded corporal.
“The Germans were petrified
with surprise.”
The paucity of prisoners is ex
plained by the fact that the
trenches were packed with dead
after the terrific French bom
bardment. f
The Temps said:
“The Germans are claiming
g f you have th(’f young’
re & » B man’s natural inclina
~ ‘LT tion for a sack suit
o ) | fashion so new that the
L MEACY designer’s chalk, figura
k r.»{j,‘ : 7.,": . : - .
R/ b\ 2 tively speaking, still
S U L@t lingers upon it—glance
A : oy L The Kirschbaum
4““ ‘;%!‘ «S;Y s r %‘v’ VO e
5 / ¢ &, Note the narrow lapels; the
, ts two closely spaced buttons;
v okt 7 i the high waist effect — and
Py v 2o then consider how it would
o Sy, look in the new grey d»laids,
s%’" | i banjo stripes, or color flecked
;v ! ]’t mixtures,
7. : To be well dressed and up to the min
-7 x ute means to select “Vogue."”
' —Correctness of dress is essential.
% ¢ | —~Correctness of choice is essential.
¥y Vo
Vo ~—There is but one choice—but one
place that displays “Vogue"—that's
| HIRSCH BROS.
b - :
» 44 WHITEHALL
LT D
that’ they have smashed our re
serves. If the Government would
let us publish the total of our
losses at Verdun it would be
seen that they were less than
those of our offensives in May
and September last, although -
those engagements did not last
half as long as Verdun.”
The newspaper adds that the
strength of the French artillery
has been greatly increased since :
the Verdun battie began. Gen
"f” De la Croix, former President
of War Council, writes:
“Our losses have not impaired
our powers of offensive. 1 do not
believe the Germans can say the
same,
“We can expect a gradual de
cline in their strength which to
day consists largely of their
quick-firing heavy guns and ma
chine guns. 1 have positive in
formation, however, that their
batteries have suffered greatly
from our gunfire. 1 do not pre
tend that our guns have not suf
fered, but we can aways replace
them. 2
“The Allies can now smash any
German offensive, wherever it
may be delivered.”
e —
.
Central Presbyterian
Plans Banner Sunday
Efforts are being made by mem
bers of the Central Presbyterian
Chureh Sabbath School to make May
14 a banner Sunday in the history
of the school. The home study de
partment will have charge of the ex
ercises on that occasion. The day
Las been set aside as “Home Study
Department Sabbath.” Dr. Henry A.
Porter, pastor of the Second Baptist
'_F-'??.?' &5 ‘g’
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R Y I L
A Strong Directorate
BANK is as strong as is the character of
A its Directorate. We invite you to scrutin
ize ours. Very lixely you are familiar with
the high standing of each of these gentlemen :
DIRECTORS
C. E. CURRIER ASA G. CANDLER
F. E. BLOCK JACK ). SPALDING
E. H. INMAN A. E. THORNTON
JAS. S. FLOYD GEO. R. DONOVAN
S. C. DOBBs H. R. DURAND
JAS..L. DICKEY, JR
Atlanta National Bank
ATLANTA, GA.
‘Church, will deliver an address. ¥
All members are urged to report
| the names of anyone desiring to at
| tend to Mrs. M. M. Grinnell, super
intendent of this department, phone
’lvy 2835-J.
3