The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-07-29
Freight Steamer LeeIanaW Re.
ported Torpedoed BY Sub
marine While Returning
From Russia.
NONE OF HER CREW LOST
Vessel Was Laden With Flax,
ClaSsed as Contraband-
Doubt Attack on Steamer
Comes Within Law.
WASHINGTON DISAPPOINTED
Facts Will Be Ascertained Be,
fore Further Representa-
tions Are Made-In-
creases Tension.
DISAPPOINTED

London. July 27.-The American
steamship Leelanaw. from Archangel,
July 8, for Belfast. with a cargo of
lax. was sunk July rs by a German
submarine off the northwest coast Of
All the members of the crew Of the
eelana We're saved. They were
brought into Kirkwall in their own
boats.
The steamer left New York May IT
With q cargo of cotton consigned to
russia by way Of Gothenburg. The
vessel was detained at Kirkwall while
inquiries were made as to the posi-
bll1ty of getting her cargo to Russia,
as Sweden forbids the export Of cot
ton; Inc ship was released June 28
Win permission to proceed to Arch
angel, where the cotton was discharged
m a cargo Of fax was loaded for
Belfast.
NO details of the t%orpedoing of the
LeeIanaw nave been received beyond
a message stating that the crew had
been safely landed at Kirkwall, Scot
land, from which place they notified
the American consul at Dundee of the
sinking Of the vessel.
Washington, D.. c., July 2e.-The
torpedoing Of the American steamer
Leelanaw is a shock to American Of
f1clals, who see in the incident further
aggravation of the situation between
and the United States.
Although they hesitated today In the
absence of details to construe the act
as coming within the warning Of the
last American note, which pointed out
that further violation of International
law affecting American citizens would
be regarded as deliberately u%nfriend-
~" the view was taken that Germany,
in effect, had ignored d~isregarded
an earlier note sent in connection with
the sinking of the American sailing
ship William P. Frye by the German
cruiser Prinz Eitel Frederick.
The American View.
In that communication the United
States vigorously asserted it's position,
that, even though an American ship
carried contraband Of war, 1t was Pc
c%uliarly protected from destruction by
the stipulations Of the Prussian-Amer-
being carried by the Leelanaw, was
declared absolute c%ontraband by Ger
many on April is, as retaliation against
the British c~ontraband declaration.
While presidents in International
law in recent years, supported partic-
ularly by the declaration of London,
nave recognized a right Of a belligerent
to sink a neutral vessel carrying con-
traband if the ship was certain Of con-
demnation by a prize court, the action
has peeH lll1lll9u 10 extreme cases OF
necessity when the taking of a prize
irto port would INVOLVE danger to the
vessel making the capture.
Irrespective of the principles Of in
ternational law noted on that point,
however, the United States has, in it's
correspondence with Germany, insisted
on the application of the following ar
ticle IS of the treaty.
Basis of Opinion.
I'm the case of one of the contract
ing parties being engaged with any
other power, to prevent all the diff
cultieS and Observation-Disclosures that US
ually arise respecting merchandise of
c~ontraband, such as arms, ammuni-
ton n military stores Of every kind,
as such articles carried in the vessel.
or by the subjects or citizens Of either
party to the enemies of the other, shall
be deemed contraband so as to induce
confiscation or condemnation and q
loss of property to individuals. Never
theless, it shall be lawful to stop such
vessels and articles, and to detain them
for such length of time as the captors
may hin necessary to prevent the in
or damage that might en-
sue from their proceeding, paying. how
ever, reasonable compensation for the
loss such arrests shall occasion to the
proprietors."
But in the case supposed Of a vessel
stopped for articles Of co~ntraband, IL
the master of the vessel stopped will
deliver the goods supposed to be Of
contraband nature, he shall be per-
mitted to do it and the vessel shall not
in that case be carried into any port,
nor further detained but snail be al
lowed to proceed on her voyage"
Admitted Liability.
Germany Immediately admitted her
liability under the foregoing articles
when the Frye was sunk and agreed to
pay damages, but took the view that
the sinking of the vessel was not a
violation of the treaty but a right
that had theoretically been granted by
treaty itself. Germany replied, how
then International law on the sea will
not be worth the price Of the volumes
hat have been written describing 1t.
If this government retreats from the
position 1t has taken before Germany,
with respect to life, it needs no diagram
:, to demonstrate that there will be small
use talking about the rights Of ordin-
airy on the seas in war time;
and if the United States cannot uphold
neutral rights. it Is hardly to be ex-
pected that weaker nations can do so.
The developments of the next few
. weeks. with respect to the American
German controversy, are likely to be
of a historic moment. which Is as yet
!. but dimly comprehended, whether they
turn in favor of a satisfactory under
standing or whether they take the or
!. posite turn.
4 rD,INr lAt roNyc unD