Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-18
State Department Publishes Six
Diplomatic Notes. Entire Cor
respOndence of Past Few
Weeks with Belligerents.
EFFORTS OF ]. S. FAILED
|ficials Puzzled by British Re-
lection of American Proposals
Intention of President vii.
son Is to Make a Strong Pro-
test to the Allies.

Washington, March 17.-Six diploma =
notes were made public tonight by
department of state, constituting
entire correspondence of the last
" weeks between the United States
d Germany and between the United
itcs and Great Britain and France
ntiVe to the abandonment OF sub
trinc attacks ON merchant ships. the
pment of conditional contraband and
Pdstuffs to civilians in a belligerent
IutrN the use of neutral flags by
ligcrent merchantmen. the removal
mines. and the proclamation of a
tual blockade by the allies against
rmauN.
he communications revealed that the
tied states government realizing the
ficultics Of maintaining an effective
ckadc hv Il close guard of AN enemy
II ON account of the newly developed
ivity of submarines, asked that "a
ius Of activity" be defined. Great
tain and France replied with the an
Encemeut that the operations of
c<adc would not he conducted out
of European waters. including the
litorIanean.'
lille Germany agreed, 1t is dis
ked, to abandon her submarine at
KS on "mcrcantile of any flag" eX-
when they resist visit or search.
vidod foodstuffs were permitted to
h her civilian population. Great
ain and her allies rejected the pro-
hl. originally made by the United
4.
bclligereuts into an arrangement
ch would safeguard the interests
1cutrals.
l. UNpREC ECEDENTED ACTIONS.
rthermorc the documents show that
message of inquiry To Great Britain
France the United States asked
her the embargo on all commerce be-
n Germany and neutral countries
To be carried out under the rules of
ockadc or ny Interference with ships
carsoes "as if no blockade existed
two together presenting in the view
the American government pro-
Il course of action previously un-
Nu to international law"
c answers from both Great Britaio
allies officially regard their policy as
lockade.' hut desire to refrain from
rising tho rights Of helligcrcnts UNI
"A blockade to contscate ships and
oes as a penalty for breach of block
substituting for it procedure in prize
is and compensation through sale Of
detained merchandise.
definition of "A radius of activity
he allied fleet in European waters
ding the Mediterranean, is the first
lation of the geographical limits Of
blockade Its limits Were net given
exactly the allies claim, because
many was equally indefinite in pro-
ling all the waters surrounding Great
in and ireland war zone
RESTRICTED OPERATIONS.
t. restriction of the area of opera
of the blockade to European
rs followed this observation by
United States to both Great Brit
and France:
'hilc this government is fully alive
10 possibility that the methods OF
Frn naval warfare, particularly in
Use of the submarine for both de-
We and offensive operations, may
the former means of maintaining
,ckadc "a physical impossibility, II
that II can be urged with Rrea'
that there should lac also some
to the radius of activity" and es'
lly so if this action by the bcllig-
$ can be construed to he - block
1t would certainly create a seri
tate Of affairs if, for example, ar
lean vessel laden with a cargo oi
an origin Should escape the Brit
atrol in European waters only tc
Id up by a cruiser off New Yorl
AIKEN into Halifax"
publication of the correspond
cleans the slate of diplomat,
and leaves the United States
onted with the question of wheth
not it Will acquiesce in the form
bckade announced by the allies OF
protest. President Wilson him
has indicated that IA strong pro
will be, made and officials alread!
altering material for it.
FAILURE OF THE T.. S.
notes record the failure of tn
States to bring the belligerent
m agreement on the use of sub
es and mines. the liking Of definit
governing shipments of conditional
band to the civilian population o
igerent and the abandonment {
flags as "A ruse of war
ials admitted being somewha
a over the British rejection Of tn
sails made by the United States Il
onneCtion. They observed state
In the British reply to the Amori
otcs which has not borne out b.
rison with the German note, Tn
reply refusing to enter into tn
ncnt, says in reference to tn
'an communication:
reply Of the German government
note has been published and it /
dcrstuod from the reply that tn
q government are prepared t