The Sentinel=record., 1915-03-18
STATE IS CLEANED OF CORRES PoNDENcE BETWEEN UNITED
 STATES AND BELLlGERENTS,
BLOCKADE ZONE IS EVASIVE
France and England Reply That the Blockade Would Not Bc Conducted 'routside of European Waters h. cluding the Mediterranean"

Washington March l7.-siH diplo. matic notes were made public tonight by the state department. constituting the entirs correspondence of the past few weeks between the United States and Germany and between the United States and Great Britain and France relative to the abandonment of sun- marine attacks on merchant ships. the shipment of conditional contra band and foodstuffs To civilians in a belligerent country the use of neu- tral flags by belligerent oW sned mer- chantmen, the removal of mines and the proclamation of a virtual block ade by the allies against Germany
 The communications reveal q that the United States government realI- ing the difficulties of maintaining an effective blockade by close gua.G of an enemy coast on account of the newly developed activity of sdbmar. ines asked that "a radius of actiy. ity' be defined. Great Britain and France replied with the announce ment that the op ratious of blockade would not be conducted outside of European waters including the Med iterranean.
 While Germany agreed it is dis closed, to abandon her submarine at. tacks on "meschanule Of any flas except when they resist visit or searcn. provided foOdstUfts were per mitt5d to reach her civilian popu.d- ton, Great Britain and her aliIes re- jactcd the proposal originally made by the United States government in an effort to b.ng the belhgerents in. 10 an agreement which would safe guard the interests Of neutrals.
 Furthermore the documents show that in a message of inquiry 10 Great Britain and France Germany and ueu- tral countries was to be carried out under tho rules of a blockade or by interference with ships and careoes "as if no blockade existed" inc two together course of action previously unknown to international law
 The answers from both Great Bit ain and France reveal for tae first time that the allies officially regard their policy as a "blockaGe" but de. sire to refrain from exercising thn rights of belligereuts under block ade to confiscate ships and careoes as a penalty for breach of blockade. substituting for it procedure in prize courts and compensation through sale Of the detained merchandise
 The definition of radius of activ- ity" for the allied fleet in European waters, including the Mediterranean is the first intimation of the geogr2- phical limits of the blockade. Its linn its were not given more exactly the allies claim hecanse Germany was equally indefinite in proclaiming all the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland a war zone
 The restriction of the area of oper- ations of the blockade to European waters followed this observation bv the United States to both Great Brit, ain and France
 JNhile this government is fully alive to the possibility that the meth Ods of modern warfare, particularly in the use of the submarines for both defensive and offensive operations may make the former means of main taining a blockade a physical inl- possibility, it feels that it can be urg- ed with great force that there should be also some limit to a "ra- dius of activity" and especially so if this action by the belligerents can be construed to be a blockade.
 Tt would certainly create a serious state of affairs f, for example an American vessel laden with cargo of German origin should escape th9 British patrol in European waters only to be held up by a cruiser off New York and taken into Halifax"
 The publication of the correspond ence cleans the slate of diplomatic notes and leaves the United States confronted with the question of whether or not il will acquiesce in the form of blockade announced by the allies or make protest Presi- dent Wilson himself mas indicated that a strong protest will be made