Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-08
Germany's New
 Sea War Zones
MEMORANDUM HAS BEEN DE-
 LAYED IN TRANSMIS SSION.
ITS CONTENTS KNOWN
President Wilson and His Cabinet Have Come to No Decision Whether the United States Will Protest,

Washington, Feb. 7.-AIthough the text of Germans official memorandum, explaining the admiralty's proclaim ing of q submarine campaign against enemy merchant ships, has been de- layed in transmission and did not reach the state department today from Ann bassador Gerard, publication in the press of the text of the document produced proofund impression on otfi- cials and diplomats in the national capital
 As Ge memorandum revealed that German naval commanders had been given orders ito avoid violence to neutral ships. it was regarded as proclamation though there was some uneasinAss over the suggestion in the| memorandum that efforts to torpedo enemy merchant ships might unin- tentionalIy strike neutral vessels.
 Cabinet Has Not Arrived at Decision.
 President Wilson and his cabinet have come to nc decision as to wheth- CT there will be any protest from the United States government but it is believed some inquiry might be made to determine whata. vessels are planned to take off passengers and crews from enemy merchant ships, as well as neutral vessels, the former because of the great number of American citizens accusoneG to travel on belligerent
  Declaration of London provides that all persons aboard an enemy merchant ship must be saved before the vessel is destroyed.
 Officials Non Committal.
 Officials generally were non-con- initial as to what the position of the United States government might be, but, if assurances are given that mer- chant ships will not be sunmarily destroyed without giving an oppor- tunity for persons aboard to be saved. it was regarded as certain that khe American government, observing strict neutrality would not protest against the proclamation of the sea zones,
 Lusitania Flies American Flag.
 It was apparent among high officials that the hoisting of the American flag on the British steamship Lusitania. immediately after the aarge had been made in the German sC4niraltyis proc lamAtion z1hat neutral flags had been ordered used by Great Britain intro- duced a phase of the situation which is more likely to call forth diplomatic discussion than in the proclamation it. self. Until some specific acts violate the safety of neutralS on merchant ships is committed, it will be believed that no protests will be adopted, but the Lusitania. incident may call forth an inquiry tomorrow if Ambassador Page does not report on the incident by then.
 Prominent Americans on Lusintania.
 The presence of many close friends and high relations of the United States officials on board the Lusitania and the stories that the vessel raised the American flag to same neutral pas sengers from distress brought home to officials the question of safety for Americans travelling at sea and the necessity of an early understanding While there Is no law of the United States penalizin5 any vessel that en- ters or leaves American ports for us- ing the American flag without au- thorization and no explicie rules on the subject has never been incorpOrat- ed in international law, the embaT- rassnent which might result from such a. practice were the cause of much speculation among diplomats The warning of the German govern nent that ncurals should not voyage on enemy merchant ships probably will be needed to some extent by passengers leaving the United States 1t was thought, but the effect on these Americans who are in Europe now and plan tA return home by the big pas senger~1iners of England and France was another phase of the situation that was talked of considerably today by officials.
 Safety of Civilians.
 In soSe executive quarters, there was a disposition to believe that the German naval commanders had been given much more strict instructions about caring for the safety of civ lllans of both enemy and neutral COUn- tries on board al merchant ships, than has been made public The wick suggested was that Germans action was aimed chiefly against the car goes of Contraband and the troop ships crossing the English channel Officials assumed that Germany, realizing the endorsements which might arise from the loss of innocent lives. prob- ably would be most painstakinp in this respect.
 In this connection. it was said that official information has been received by the American government that for the last month England had tranSport- ed an average of 3O,0O0 men each week across the channel Wohout a single mishap. Official estimates which have reached the American government place the number of British troops in the field now at close to 500. .000 with the expectation that the army of d million, which Lord Kitchener predict ed would be in service soon, was likely to be in France by spring
 Absolute and Relative Contraband.
 Tn so far as the German foreign office memorandum discussed the question of absolute and relative con traband, and charged that neutral countries in Europe had been forced to enact export enlbargoeS under pres sure from the allies, the document was regarded generally as likely to have d direct bearing on the argument in the correspondence betwen the United States and Great Britain, which began with the American note of pro- test of December 26 last and the pre- emptory reply of England delivered subsequently,. Englands complete re- ply, it is understood, is being prepar- ed for transmission within the con- ing week.
 Price of Bread Raised in Seattle.