New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14
Neutral Opinion Unit Against the
German "War Zone" Order.


Scandinavian kingdoms should join the Un'eu
States in protesting against the INVASION OF heu-
trail rights threatened in the German Admiralty
a'war zone" proclamation. Owing TO their geo.
graphical position, their large maritime interests
and their extensive trade with the Unlteu Ming
don, these countries are more seriously ahecCeu
Ly tho German declaration than any other Euro
moan rcvtrals are. 1t is of the gravest lmpor-
lance for them. as it is for the United States, to
prevent the encroachment on the rights OF heu-
trail commerce which is so broadly hlhteo aV III
the German governments original order ana IN
the supplement to that order issued yesterday
The Admiralty's threat was somewhat veiled-
no doubt Intentionally so. The German govern
uent wanted to leave open a loophole lot Vhe
claim if a neutral ship should be torpedoed, thaI
II was onlv an unavoidable accident OF war
'qEven though the German naval forces nave IN
ptructjons to avoid violence to neutral SHIPS the
proclamation said their becoming victims Oh tor-
nedoes cannot always be averted.' But "haV
German public opinion takes this yelled threat 10
mean is disclosed in the cynical and dehant com
nnent Of the German press. Count Won heVeh'-
ttou, a well known publicst and naval expert ana
ono If the leaders Of the Pan-German movement
hos inst written an article for the "Tages lei
,,rop in which he boldly declares and defends the
nolicv of lynch law against neutrals at which Ihe
- Admiralty order limited. He practically says thaV
.Gernoan submarines patrolling the war zone
drawn about Great Britain and Ireland cannot
he exnected to observe the obligations OF inter-
ro,;onal law in dealing with neutral ships enter
ing that zone.
~ aft is equally out of the question" Count Won
,Reventlow writes that the identity OF every ship
with neutral flag be ascertaned submarine
mine cannot learn this identity; and such course
is equally impossible for submarine boat
In comparing the function of a submarine
patrol with the function of mine the count
puts Germany's cards face up on the table. A
mine is an irresponsible, blind agent. Nobody
can prove who planted it, since mine, once I'M
moored, may drift for HUNDREDS of miles. But
the submarine is a recognized vessel Of war; flying
a national ensign and operated by a naval
officer under the restrictions of international law
There is no reason why submarine should be
permitted to deal with a neutral ship on the high
seas otherwise than cruiser or any other type
of patrol vessel would deal with It, Neutral ma
tons acknowledge the right of search and Of
seizure subject to prize courts decision, in case
eontraband is carried. But no neutral nation can
subscribe to the doctrine that the right of search
and seizure may be exercised by torpedoing a
neutral vessel first and then nquirng whether It
was or was not a neutral.
So The protest just sent TO Berlin by our govern
lment repudiates utterly the claim of a submarine
to the privilege of running amuck which Count
Won Reventlow now admits that Germany has put
forward. 1t properly says: "The suspicion that
enemy ships are using neutral flags improperly
can create no just presumption that all ships
traversing a prescribed area are subject to the
same suspicion. II is to determine exactly such
questions that this government understands the
right of visit and search TO have zen recognized"
." So long as no blockade is declared and enforced
neutral shipping is entitled to enter British ports,
In doing so il takes the risk of encounterng float
inc mines, but it does not subject itself to the
risk of attacks, either deliberately or carelessly
made bv the commanders of beligerent war
vessels.
Neutral countries will stand as unit in de
fence Of that principle If after Thursday next
Germany enforces the Admiralty war zone
order in all its implications she will find neutral
opinion the world over arrayed against her. BY
her own action she will make herself an Ishnael-
tie among the nations.