Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1915 — U.S. SENDS WARNING TO GREAT BRITAIN AND TO GERMANY [ARTICLE]

U.S. SENDS WARNING TO GREAT BRITAIN AND TO GERMANY

Both Nations Told to Keep Hands Off Flag. WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE Note Sent by Pryan Says They Will Be Held to Strict Account for Any Loss of American Lives. * ~—“ Washington, Feb. 12.—Notes sent to Great Britain and Germany and made public by tlm state department indicate the possibility of a crisis in the efforts of the United States government to maintain neutrality toward the European belligerents. U. S. Note to Germany.

The secretary of state has instructed Ambassador Gerard at Berlin to present to tl/ German government a note to the following effect: “The government of the United States, having had its attention directed to the proclamation of tho Ger-man-admiralty issued February 4, that tho waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland, including the whole of the English channel, aro to be considered as comprised within the seat of war; that all enemy merchant vessels found In those waters after the 18th instant will be destroyed, although It may not always bo possible to save crews and passengers, and that neutral vessels expose themselves to danger within this zone of war because, In view of the misuse of naval flagß said to have been ordered by thu British government on January 31, and of the contingencies of maritime warfare, It may not be possible always to exempt neutral vessels from attacks intended to strike enemy ships, feels It to be Its duty to call the attention of the Imperial government, with sincere respect and the most friendly sentiments, but very candidly and earnestly, to the very serious possibilities of tho course of action apparently contemplated under that proclamation. Critical Situation Might Arise.

“The government of the United States views those possibilities with such grave concern that it feels it to be its privilege, and, indeed, its duty in the circumstances, to request the imperial government to consider before action is taken the critical situation in respect of the relation between this country and Germany which might arise were the German naval forces, in carry!ng out tlie policy foreshadowed in the admiralty’s proclamation, to destroy any chant vessel of the United States or cause the death of American citizens.

“It is, of course, not necessary to remind the German government that the sole right of a belligerent in dealt ing with neutral vessels on the high seas is limited to visit and search, unless a blockade is proclaimed and effectively maintained, which this government does not understand to be proposed in this case. “To declare or exercise a right to attack and destroy any vessel entering a prescribed area of the high seas without first certainly determining its belligerent nationality and the contraband character of its cargo would be an act so unprecedented in naval warfare that this government is reluctant to believe that the imperial government of Germany in this Case contemplates it as possible.

U. S. Not Open to Criticisms. “This government has carefully noted the explanatory, statement issued by the imperial German government at the same time with the proclamation of the German admiralty, and takes this occasion to remind the imperial government Very respectfully that the government of the United States is open to none of the criticisms for unneutral action to which the German government believes the governments of certain other neut Val nations have laid themselves open; that the government of the United States has not consented to or acquiesced in any pleasures which may have been taken by the other belligerent nations in the present war which operate to restrain neutral trade, but has, on the contrary, taken in all such matters a position Which warrants it in holding those governments responsible in the proper way for apy untoward effects on American shipping which the accepted principles of international law do not justify; aiHUlbat It, therefore, regards itself as free in the present take with a clear conscience and upon accepted principles the position indicated 4n this note. . Would Hold Germany Responsible\‘lf tlie commanders of German ves-

sels of war should act upon the presumption that the flag of the United States was not being used in good faith and should' destroy on the high seas an American vessel, or the lives of American citizens, it would be difficult for the government of the United States to view the act in any other light than as an indefensible violation of neutral rights, which it would be very hard, indeed, to reconcile with the friendly relations now so happily subsisting between the two governments. "If such a deplorable situation should arise, the imperial German government can readily appreciate that the government of the United States would be constrained to hold the imperial German government to a strict accountability for such acts of their naval authorities and to take any steps it might be necessary to take to safeguard American lives and property and to secure to American citizens the full enjoyment of their acknowledged rights on the high seas. Hopes Ships Won’t Be Harmed.

"The government of the United States, in view of these considerations, which it urges with the greatest respect and with the sincere purpose of making sure that no misunderstanding may arise and no circumstance oc-„ cur that might even cloud the intercourse of the two governments, expresses the confident hope and expectation that the imperial German government can and will give assurance that American citizens and their vessels will not be molested by the naval forces of Germany otherwise than by visit and search, though their vessels may be traversing the sea area delimited in the proclamation of the German admiralty. "It is added for the information of the imperial government that representations have been made to his Britannic majesty’s'government in respect to the unwarranted use of the American flag for the protection of British ship's.”

U. S. Note to Britain. The secretary of state has instructed Ambassador Page at London to present to the British government a note to the following effect: “The department has been advised of the declaration of the German admiralty on February 4. indicating that the British government had pn January 31 explicitly authorized the use of neutral flags on British merchant vessels, presumably for the purpose of avoiding recognition by German naval forces. ' .

"The department’s -attention has also been directed to reports in the jiress that the' captain of the Lusitania, acting upon orders or information received from the' British authorities. raised ‘the American flag as his vessel approached the British coasts, in order to escape anticipated •attacks by German submarines. Today’s press reports also contain an alleged official statement of the foreign office defending the use of the flag of a neutral country by a belligerent ves; sel in order to escape capture or attack by an enemy.

Opposed to General Use of Flag. “Assuming that the foregoing reports are. true, the government of the United States, reserving for future consideration the legality and propriety of the deceptive use of the flag of a neutral power in any case for the purpose of avoiding capture, desires very respectfully to point out to his Britannic majesty's government the serious consequences which may result to American vessels and American citizens if this practice is continued.

“The occasional use of the flag of a neutral or an enemy under the stress of immediate pursuit and to deceive an approaching enemy, which appears by the press reports to be represented as the precedent and justification used to support this action, seems to this government a very different thing from an explicit sanction by a belligerent government for its merchant ships generally to fly the flag of a neutral powder w ithin certain portions of the high seas which are presumed to be frequented with hostile warships. •

Would Jeopardize Neutral Ships. “The formal declaration of such a policy of general misuse of a neutral’s flag jeopardizes the vessels of the neutral visiting those waters in a peculiar degree by raising the presumption that they arq of belligerent nationality regardless of the flag which they may carry. / “In view of the announced purpose of the German admiralty to engage in active naval operations in certain delimited sea areas adjacent to the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, the government of the United States would view with anxious solicitude any general use of the flag of the United States by British vessels traversing '{hose waters. A policy such as the one which his majesty’s government is said to intend to adopt would, if the declaration of the German admiralty be put in force, it seems clear, afford .no protection to British vessels, while it would be a serious and constSnt menace to. the lives and vessels of American citizens.

Urges Practice Be Stopped. “The government of the United States, therefore, trusts that his majesty’s government will do all in its power to restrain vessels of British nationality from the deceptive use of the flag of the United States in the sea area defined in the German declaration, since such practice would greatly endanger the j vessels of a friendly power navigarting those waters, and would even seem to impose

upon the government of Great Britain 1 a measure of responsibility for the loss of American lives and vessels in case of an attack by a German naval force. "You may add that this government is making earnest representations to the German government in regard to the danger to American vessels and citizens if the declaration of the German admiralty is put into effect.”