Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-11
Won JAGOW'S EXPLANATION
Confirms Earlier Reports that Ger
man Naval Program is Not a
Blockade Of British Waters.
SOME M1sAPPREHENsIoN ARISES

BERLIN (via The Hague 20 London,
Feb. n-Gottlieb Won Jagow. tho German
foreign secretary, who Is paying q short
visit 70 Berlin, during the absence OF
Emperor William. on the eastern front.
received the correspondent OF The AZ
ISOLATED Press today and explained to
him the nature OF the recently announced
German naval meaFures TO be taken
against hostile commercial shipping ever
which he said there seemed to he some
misapprehension abroad. owing TO the
delay in the transmission OF the memo
randum accompanying the proclamation.
The phrase, submarine blockade" as
used in the press discussion of the
proclamation abroad, the foreign secre-
tary said, perhaps also was responsible
for this misapprehension.
THE announcement OF February 4. OF
Admiral Won Pohl, chief OF the admiralty
staff. was not a declaration OF a block
ade." said Herr Won Jagow, confirming
an earlier statement by the admiralty to
The Associated Press,
Gernany's Purpose.
IAN questions AZ 70 It's validity pre-
missed on this theory therefore are ex-
cluded The admiralty proclamation by
a designation OF waters around Great
Britain and Ireland as a war area. an
nounces Germany's intention to conduct
war operations in this region, and par
tieularly to destroy commercial ships OF
the enemy.
England months ago declared in SINH
lar fashion the whole OF the North Sea
war area
sCarp,ap xyarvhtnS barotoforo have
destroyed merchant ships belonging to
the enemy only when there was every
certainty that their passengers and crew
could get safely away. But in the flu
ture this forbearance must be subordi-
mated to military considerations end to
the consideration that England by a
measure inadmissable under international
law has paralysed neutral commerce with
Germany in an attment to force upon
the German civilian population death by
starvation.
Risk of NeutraIs.
ANY how" continued Herr Won Jagow,
hostile merchantmen have no claim to
consideration II. as in part already has
been the case. they are armed or offer
resistance to the German naval forces.
since the British admiralty on January
l. instructed British merchantmen to use
neutral flags. neutral ships, even with
out taking into consideration the UNI
avoidabie accidents OF war. run the risk
of being mistaken for hostile merchant
ships and OF falling victims to attacks
intended for these ships.
1T was to this danger that the an
nouncement particularly called attention.
"The German naval forces have, of
COURSE received orders to use no violence
against neutral ships. 80 far as these are
recognizable as such, but this confidential
instruction by the British admiralty as to
the use of neutral flags makes such
Identification a matter of extreme dit
ficulty.
Neutral shipping can therefore only
be urgently warned again, as in the
earlier announcements. TO avoid the in
dieated war zone until further notice"
No protests, according to Herr Won
Jagow, have been received from neutral
states concerning the admiralty measure.
although several Of them. he said. had
applied for information as to its scope.