Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-12
PRACTICAL ULTIMATUM
REGARDING VIOLATION
OF AMERICAN RIGHTS

FROM rage One.l
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ing that the British government had.
on January 3lst, explicitly authuri,-
ed the use of neutral flags on Brit
ish vessels. presumably for the pur-
pose Of avoiding recognition by Ger
man naval forces. The departments
attention has also been directed to re-
ports in the press that the captain
of the Lusitania, acting upon orders
or Information received from the
British authorities, raised the Ameri-
can flag as his vessel approached the
British coasts, in order to escape an
ticipated attacks by German subma-
rines.
"fodays press reports also con-
tain an alleged official statement of
the foreign Office defending the use
OF the flag of neutral country by a
belligerent vessel in order to escape
capture or attack by an enemy.
Assuming that the foregoing re-
ports are true, the government of the
United States, reserving for future
consideration the legality and pro-
priety of the deceptive use of the flag
OF a neutral power in any case for
the purpose OF avoiding capture, de-
sires very respectfully to point out to
his Britannia majestys government
the serious consequences which may
result to American vessels and Amer
lean citizens If this practice is con-
tinued.
The occasional use of the flag
of neutral or an enemy under the
stress Of immediate pursuit and To de-
ceive an approaching enemy, which
appears by the press reports TO be
reported as the precedent and just-
fication used TO support this action.
seems TO this government a very diff
ferent thing from an explicit sanction
by a belligerent government for its
merchant ships generally to fly the
flag of a neutral power within GER
tain portions of the high seas which
are presumed to be frequented by
hostile warships. The formal decla-
ration of such policy OF general mis-
use of neutral flag jeopardlzes the
vessels of the neutral visiting those
waters In q peculiar degree by rails
ing the presumption that they are of
bclligerent nationality regardless Of
the flag which they may carry
In view of the announced pur-
pose Of the German admiralty to en-
gage in active naval operations IN
certain delimited sea areas adjacent to
the coasts of Great Britain and Ire
land. the government of the United
States would view with anxious solicit
tude any general use of the flag OF
the United States by British vessels
those waters. A policy
such as the one which his majesty's
government Is said TO intend to adopt
would, IL the declaration of the Ger
man admiralty be put in force, 1t
seems clear, afford no protection to
British vessels while it would be Sc
rious ard constant menace to the lives
and vessels OF American citizens.
The government of the United
states therefore trusts that his ma
iesty's government will do all In their
power to restrain vessels of British |
from the deceptive use Of |
the flag of the United States in the |
sea already defined in the German |
declaration, since such practice would |
greatly endanger the vessels of a /
friendly power navigating those wa |
ters and would even seem to impose /
upon the government of Great Britain |
I measure OF responsibility for the /
loss of American lives and vessels IN !
case Of an attack by German naval |
force.
You Will impress upon his ma
iesty's government the grave concern
which this government feels in the
in regard TO the safety
)f American vessels and lives In the
war zone declared 10y the German adj
You may add that this govern
nent Is making earnest representa-
ions to the German government IN
'egafi to the danger TO American
fessels and citizens IL the declaration
4 the German admiralty is put into
fleet "