New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 1, April, 1915 | Page 5

formal violation of neutrality.
Germany, therefore, did not complain of any formal violation of
neutrality, but the German Government, in view of complete evidence
before it, cannot help pointing out that it, together with the entire public
opinion of Germany, feels itself to be severely prejudiced by the fact
that neutrals, in safeguarding their rights in legitimate commerce with
Germany according to international law, have up to the present
achieved no, or only insignificant, results, while they are making
unlimited use of their right by carrying on contraband traffic with Great
Britain and our other enemies.
If it is a formal right of neutrals to take no steps to protect their
legitimate trade with Germany, and even to allow themselves to be
influenced in the direction of the conscious and willful restriction of
their trade, on the other hand, they have the perfect right, which they
unfortunately do not exercise, to cease contraband trade, especially in
arms, with Germany's enemies.
In view of this situation, Germany, after six months of patient waiting,
sees herself obliged to answer Great Britain's murderous method of
naval warfare with sharp counter-measures. If Great Britain in her fight
against Germany summons hunger as an ally, for the purpose of
imposing upon a civilized people of 70,000,000 the choice between
destitution and starvation or submission to Great Britain's commercial
will, then Germany today is determined to take up the gauntlet and
appeal to similar allies.
Germany trusts that the neutrals, who so far have submitted to the
disadvantageous consequences of Great Britain's hunger war in silence,
or merely in registering a protest, will display toward Germany no
smaller measure of toleration, even if German measures, like those of
Great Britain, present new terrors of naval warfare.
Moreover, the German Government is resolved to suppress with all the
means at its disposal the importation of war material to Great Britain
and her allies, and she takes it for granted that neutral Governments,

which so far have taken no steps against the traffic in arms with
Germany's enemies, will not oppose forcible suppression by Germany
of this trade.
Acting from this point of view, the German Admiralty proclaimed a
naval war zone, whose limits it exactly defined. Germany, so far as
possible, will seek to close this war zone with mines, and will also
endeavor to destroy hostile merchant vessels in every other way. While
the German Government, in taking action based upon this
overpowering point of view, keeps itself far removed from all
intentional destruction of neutral lives and property, on the other hand,
it does not fail to recognize that from the action to be taken against
Great Britain dangers arise which threaten all trade within the war zone,
without distinction. This a natural result of mine warfare, which, even
under the strictest observance of the limits of international law,
endangers every ship approaching the mine area. The German
Government considers itself entitled to hope that all neutrals will
acquiesce in these measures, as they have done in the case of the
grievous damages inflicted upon them by British measures, all the more
so as Germany is resolved, for the protection of neutral shipping even
in the naval war zone, to do everything which is at all compatible with
the attainment of this object.
In view of the fact that Germany gave the first proof of her good-will in
fixing a time limit of not less than fourteen days before the execution of
said measures, so that neutral shipping might have an opportunity of
making arrangements to avoid threatening danger, this can most surely
be achieved by remaining away from the naval war zone. Neutral
vessels which, despite this ample notice, which greatly affects the
achievement of our aims in our war against Great Britain, enter these
closed waters will themselves bear the responsibility for any
unfortunate accidents that may occur. Germany disclaims all
responsibility for such accidents and their consequences.
Germany has further expressly announced the destruction of all enemy
merchant vessels found within the war zone, but not the destruction of
all merchant vessels, as the United States seems erroneously to have

understood. This restriction which Germany imposes upon itself is
prejudicial to the aim of our warfare, especially as in the application of
the conception of contraband practiced by Great Britain toward
Germany--which conception will now also be similarly interpreted by
Germany--the presumption will be that neutral ships have contraband
aboard. Germany naturally is unwilling to renounce its rights to
ascertain the presence of contraband in neutral vessels, and in certain
cases to draw conclusions therefrom.
Germany is ready, finally, to deliberate with the United States
concerning any measures which might secure the safety of legitimate
shipping of neutrals in the war zone. Germany cannot, however, forbear
to point out that all its efforts in