The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-02-19
BOTH COUNTRIES ARE WARNED
AGAINST MENACING VESSELS
OR LIVES OF AMERI-
CAN CITIZENS.
BRITAIN'S RESPONSIBILITY 4
Is CLEARLY POINTED OUT
Government Calls Attention to Doubt
Cast Upon Validity of American
Flag by Misuse Sanctioned
by acknowledgements
Create Sensation.
SHIP FLYING U. S. FLAG
is SENT TO THE BOTTOM

Berlin, via Rome, Feb. ia Con
stantinople dispatch says the Russians
on Feb. sank the steamer Washinq
ton, sailing under the American FLAG
The master and crew of the steamer
were Greeks. The vessel was requ.
iarly engaged in conveying American
and other Red Cross supplies between
constantinopIe and Trebizond. Her
cargo had been discharged before she
was sunk.
Washington, Feb. adjudication
by the State Department of the text of
the notes sent to Great Britain and
Germany respectively, revealed that
both countries had been warned in
most emphatic terms against menac-
ing the vessels or lives of American
citizens traversiHg the recently pro-
claimed sea zones of war.
Germany was advised that the
United States would be constrained
to hold the imperial government to a
strict accountability" for such acts Of
its naval authorities as might result
sells or the loss of American lives and
that if ''such a deplorable situation
should arise" the American govern
ment would take any steps it might
be necessary to take to safeguard
American lives and property.
Points Out Responsibility.
To Great Britain the United States
pointed out 1.-The measure of RESPONSE
bility' which would seem to be i'm
posed on the British government "for
the loss of American vessels and lives
in case of an attack by German naval
force" if Great Britain sanctioned the
general misuse of the American flag
by British vessels and thereby cast
doubt upon the valid character of the
neutral ensigns.
The two communications were to
have been presented respectively to
the British government by Ambassa-
dor Page and to the German foreign
office by Ambassador Gerard. They
were prepared by Counsellor Robert |
Lansing and revised by President Will
son and Secretary Bryan, after consul |
tation with the entire cabinet
The British, Spanish, and Brazilian |
ambassadors, who happened to call at |
the state department, were given cop
les of the notes, as were the ministers |
of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, |
who specially requested it.
Documents Create Sensation.
The documents created something of |
a sensation among the diplomats gen.
orally, because of what some regarded
as their drastic implications. High
officials of the American government
pointed out informally that it had
been deemed advisable to speak in I'M
terms now rather than
await the alarming effects on Ameri-
can public opinion which might ensue
from the sinking of vessei with
scores of American citizens. The notes
the officials were confident, would
serve as a preventative of the critical
possibilities discussed in them.
diplomats examined with great in
terest the language of the lcommunica-
lions, and some of them construed the
note to Germany as a warning that
ME loss of American lives by sinking
even merchant ship owned by a bel
igerent would be covered by the rep
of the American govern
nent because Of the insistence that all
merchant ships must be visited and
and passengers taken off be-
.ore they can be sunk.
/