The Washington herald., 1915-02-08
The Lusitania Incident.

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If Capt. Dow, of the Cunard liner Lusitania,
hoisted the Stars and Stripes for the purpose of
saving his ship and passengers from destruction
and death, which German submarine attack
threatened, he is likely to receive a medal
from grateful Americans than he is to get him
self, the Cunard Line or the British government
into difficulties with the United States govern
ment because of any infraction of international
law or the rules of warfare. Had the Lusitania
with the daughter of Secretary McAdoo, former
United States Senator, President Wilson'S friend
Col E. NJ. House and other distinguished Amer-
cans on board been sent to the bottom the On
sequences would have been tremendous The in
cident, however, to emphasize the element
of danger in the situation brought about by Ger
many's action in declaring the waters surround
ing England and Ireland naval war zone
Germany's Ambassador IN Washington has
stated that it is not her intention to modest or
seize American vessels laden with foodstuffs for
the civilian population of enemy countries" but
he adds, she does proclaim to the world that
she proposes to continue to destroy ships belong
ing to the enemy" In this category the great
Atlantic liners flying the British flag obviously are
included.
There appears, however, in the full text of the
German memorandum, cabled from Berlin, an
effort to convey the impression that Germany has
hitherto refraned from attempts to destroy GER
tain of the enemy's vessels, though this is not
borne out by the Ambassadors statement that
there is nothing in the communication made
February by the German admiralty with respect
to the attitude of the German imperial navy to-
ward ships of the enemy or toward neutral COM
merce"
The memorandum sets forth
baS 81 liz r.
tween Scotland and Norway area of war, so
Germany declares all the waters surround
ing Great Britain and Ireland including the en-
tire English Channel, as an area of war. 1t will
thus proceed against the shipping of the enemy
for this purpose, beginning February IS, 1915
Germany will endeavor to destroy every
cnemy's merchant ship that is found in this area
OF war without it always being possible to avert
the peril that thus threatens persons and cargoes
Neutrals therefore warned against further en-
trusting crews, passengers and wares to such
ships.
In view of what has already been accomplished
by the German submarines in parts of the waters
described, it will be quite natural if there is a |
disposition to regard the announcement, that
after February IS Germany will endeavor to de-
stroy every enemys merchant ship that is found
in this area" as merely the correction of diplo
matte oversight in failing to give due notice to
the neutral nations affected.
There has been a popular impression that all
ships of the status of the Lusitania have been
liable to attack ever since the war began and
especially since the German submarines began
their activities in what has since been designated
as naval war zone Hence it is not necessary
to stretch the imagination to view the German
proclamation as having for its principal purpose
a belated warning to this country of the danger |
to American passengers or American merchan-
disc carried by British ships. The German gov
ernment apparently has taken cognzance of the /
probable effect in this country of the loss of
American lives through its methods of warfare
and is seeking to relieve itself in advance
of some of the responsibility attaching to such
an cventuality. The warning may have the effect /
Of deterring Americans from taking passage in
British ships but it would have been altogether
impotent had the Lusitania been sunk.