The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-25

I been arrested IN all the countries q
a war. In every case Of apparent illega
= arrest the United States Government
has entered vigorous protests will
8 request OF release. There are indica'
l lions that . systematic plan had beer
4 devised to obtain American passports
through fraud for the purpose OF
securing passage for German officers
, and resersisIs desiring to return to
Germany
'lS--Chsnge of policy in regards to
. war loans to belligerents.
War loans in this country were
disapproyed because inconsistent with
the spirit Of neutrality. There Is a
clearly defined difference between a
war loan and the purchase OF arms
and ammunition. The policy OF dis
approving OF war loans affects all
governments alike SO that the dis
approval is not an unneutral act. The
reason given for the disapproval of
war loans is supported by other con-
siderations which are absent In the
case presented by the sale of arms anu
ammunition
Avoiding serious Situation.
"A war loan, II offered for popular
subscription in the United States,
would be taken up chiefly by those
who are in sympathy with the bel
Ngerent seeking the loan. The result
NbbtN ht tudA great nufnDt OF Inc
American people might become. more
earnest partisans. having material in
terest tn the success of the belligerent
whose bonds they hold. These pur-
chAses would not be confined to a few.
hat would spread generally through
out the country so that the people
would be divided into groups of
partisans, which would result in in
tense bitterness and might cause an
unaesira BILE, II not a serious, situa-
ton
"l4-suhrnission to arrest Of native
born Americans on neutral vessels and
IN British ports, and their lmprison-
ment.
The general charge az TO the arrest
Of American-born citizens on board
neutral vessels and IN British ports,
me ignoring of their passports and
their confinements In jails, requires
evidence to support 1t That there
have been cases OF injustice of this
sort is unqu estionably true, but Ameri-
cans In Germany have suffered In this
way as Americans have In Grea..
Britain.
l6--fndfference 10 confinement of
noncomhata in detention camps in
Great Britain and France
Prisoners Treated Wen.
As To the detention of noncombst-
ants confined in concentration camps.
h4 the peitigefents with, perhaps, the
exception of Servia and Russia. have
made similar complaints and those for
Whom this government is acting have
ASKED investigations, which represent
atlVes of this Government have made
.npart1nlly. These reports have shown
mat the treatment of prisoners Ia
generally as good as possible under
the conditions in all countries
lh-failure. to prevent to tran
shipment to British troops and war
materials across the territory of the
United States.
The Department has had no spe-
enc case OF the passage Of conyoys
Of troops across American territory
brought to its notice, Only one case
raising the question OF the transit
OF war materials owned by n bellig-
erent across the United States ter
rltory has come to the Departments
hotlee- FA:s VAS request on the
part OF the Canadian Government
for permission to ship equspmen,
across Alaska to the sea The re-
quest was refused.
17-Treatment and anal intern.
ment OF German steamship Geier and
the collier Lockspun, al Honolulu
oycrstayed Limit Given,
The Geier entered Honolulu DC.
toher ] s in an unseaworthy condition
The vessel was allowed three week,
10 make repairs and leave the port O,
he interned A longer period weult
have been impracticable. Soon afte,
entering NE port of Honolulu tn.
steamer Lockspun arrived. 1t wal
found that this vessel had accom-
panied the Geier toward Honolulu
As she had acted az tender. she wa,
accorded the same treatment
"lS--tntairness to Germany fr
rules relating TO the coaling Of war
ships in Panama Canal Zone.
by proclamation Of November 10
1914. certain special restrictions wer,
placed on the coaling OF warships OF
their tenders or Golfers In the Cana
Zone These regulations wer.
framed through the collaboration o
the state, Navy and War Depart
ments and without the slightest ref
erence as to favoritism 20 the severa
belligerents
"19~~Failure to protest against tn,
modification of the Declaration o
London by the British Government
The German Foreign ONCE pre-
scented to the diplomats in Berlin
memGra hdum dated October 10. cali
ing attention to violations OF ant
harces in the Declaration Of Lon
don nv the British Government ant
inquring as to the attitude OF TIL
United States toward such action oil
he part of the allies.
\ Temporary Code.
THE substance OF the memoran
dunn was forthwith telegraphed t,
the Department on October 20 an,
was replied to shortly afterward T.
the eniect that the United States ha,
Withdrawn it's suggestion, made earl,
in TIE war, THAT for the sake OF uni
formity, the Declaration of Londol
should be adopted as a Temporal n
code OF naval warfare during tn
present war owing to the unwilling
ness OF the belligerents TO accept tn,
Declaration without changes ant
notifications. and that hencefortl
the United States would insist tina
the rights OF the United States ant
it's citizens In the war should be gov
erned by the existing rules OF inter
national law.
"20--General unfriendly attitud,
of the Government toward Germany
and Austria.
IF any American citizens. parti
sans OF Germany and Austria Hun.
gary. feel that this administration
is acting In a way injurious TO ths
causes OF those countries this feel
ing results ftcm the fact that on the
high seas the German and Austro-
Hungarian naval power Is thus far