and the German Government is convinced that the Government of the
United States does not think of making such a demand, knowing that
the Government of the United States has repeatedly declared that it
is determined to restore the principle of the freedom of the seas
from whatever quarter it has been violated.


HOW THE UNITED STATES REPLIED

To this the Government of the United States replied on the 8th of May,
accepting, of course, the assurances given, but adding:

The Government of the United States feels it necessary to state that
it takes it for granted that the Imperial German Government does not
intend to imply that the maintenance of its newly announced policy
is in any way contingent upon the course or result of diplomatic
negotiations between the Government of the United States and any
other belligerent Government, notwithstanding the fact that certain
passages in the Imperial Government's note of the 4th instant might
appear to be susceptible to that construction. In order, however,
to avoid any possible misunderstanding, the Government of the United
States notifies the Imperial Government that it cannot for a moment
entertain, much less discuss, a suggestion that respect by German
naval authorities for the rights of citizens of the United States
upon the high seas should in any way or in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct of any other Government affecting
the rights of neutrals and non-combatants. Responsibility in such
matters is single, not joint; absolute, not relative.

To this note of the 8th of May the Imperial German Government made no