ency. We have been obliged to adopt a submarine warfare to meet
the declared intentions of our enemies and the method of warfare
adopted by them in contravention of international law.

With all its efforts in principle to protect neutral life and property
from damage as much as possible, the German Government recognized
unreservedly in its memorandum of February 4 that the interests of
neutrals might suffer from the submarine warfare. However, the
American Government will also understand and appreciate that in the
fight for existence, which has been forced upon Germany by its
adversaries and announced by them, it is the sacred duty of the
Imperial Government to do all within its power to protect and save the
lives of German subjects. If the Imperial Government were derelict in
these, its duties, it would be guilty before God and history of the
violation of those principles of highest humanity which are the
foundation of every national existence.

The case of the Lusitania shows with horrible clearness to what
jeopardizing of human lives the manner of conducting war employed by
our adversaries leads. In the most direct contradiction of
international law all distinctions between merchantmen and war vessels
have been obliterated by the order to British merchantmen to arm
themselves and to ram submarines, and the promise of rewards therefor,
and neutrals who use merchantmen as travelers thereby have been
exposed in an increasing degree to all the dangers of war.

If the commander of the German submarine which destroyed the Lusitania
had caused the crew and passengers to take to the boats before firing
a torpedo this would have meant the sure destruction of his own
vessel. After the experiences in sinking much smaller and less
seaworthy vessels it was to be expected that a mighty ship like the
Lusitania would remain above water long enough, even after the
torpedoing, to permit passengers to enter the ship's boats.
Circumstances of a very peculiar kind, especially the presence on
board of large quantities of highly explosive materials, defeated this
expectation.

In addition it may be pointed out that if the Lusitania had been
spared, thousands of cases of munitions would have been sent to
Germany's enemies and thereby thousands of German mothers and children
robbed of breadwinners.

In the spirit of friendship wherewith the German nation has been
imbued toward the Union (United States) and its inhabitants since the
ea