New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-20
Stands Firm for Right OF
American Ships to
Safe Conduct.
FLOATING MINES
GREATEST MENACE
Germany VIII Be Held Account
able for Any Loss Caused
by These at Sea.
fFrou IN. Tribun. Bureau

Washington, Feb. le.-Following a
long discussion Of the German note by
President Wilson and his Cabinet to-
dsy. il became known that the position
Of this government regarding the note
and the war zone proclamation Is as
follows:
That the United States, according TO
international law, has the right 10 safe
conduct for It's ships to belligerent
ports when such ships carry cargoes
on-contrsband ir character. and that
il will insist on this right and will
hold Germany responsible for any vio-
lstion of II.
That whatever controversy the
United States may have with Great
Britain is no concern of Germany, and
whatever controversy the United
States may have with Germany IS no
concern Of Great Britain.
That the only interest Of this gov
eminent is in the protection of Ameri-
can lives and American ships.
That the government believes Ger
many will use every effort to protect
American ships, even going so far as
allow a suspected ship carrying the
American flag to escape rather than
risk a mistake and bring about the
onmity Of this country.
Mines the Chief Concern.
That because Of this the chief con.
Germ of the government is in the danger
resulting from floating mines outside
the three-nile limit. The German gov
eminent has the right to lay mines
within the three-mile limit off the coast
of Great Britain, but it has no right
TO strew mine fields over the seas. Ger
many will be held accountable for any
American ships destroyed or American
lives lost because of these mines.
That no warning will be given to
American ship owners to keep their
vessels away from the German wal
zone because of danger there. Never.
theless the government would feel
much easier if American vessels did not
enter the war zone at this time.
IL was felt by the President and his
advisers that to instruct mariners un-
der the American flag to exercise eau
ton in sailing through the war zone OIL
avoid the zone altogether would be to
concede that the United States In part
recognizes Germany's right to make
mistakes" in attacking suspicious
ships flying neutral colors. Nothing Is
| further from the Presidents mind.
German mines in the high seas are
/ a greater menace to American com
/ merce than are submarines, IN M
4 opinion of American officials. The
government fully recognizes, as doe
Germany, that the only contact mine
which may be found IN the high sea
at this stage Of the war will be Ger
man mines. There can be no occasion
for Great Britain or France, with thu
seas swept clear of all commerce ex
cept neutral CT allied belligerent ship
ping, to use the contact mine.
There remain only the harbor de
fence mines of France and Grea
Britain as a possible menace to Ameri
can or other neutral commerce enter
ing their harbors, and against acct
dental loss of American ships or mel
from contact with these the Unite
States has the promise of safe conduc
from the two governments.
Burden Rests on Germany.
This government has been informe,
that numerous floating mines are beini
distributed by the new type German
submarines in the harbors and harbo
approaches of British and Frencl
ports. A loss through collision wit
ore Of these mines might cause con
troversy as to the authorship Of tn
accident, but the burden of suspicion
for such a loss would fall on Ger
many, in view of the safe conduct as
surances from France and Grea
Britain.
No consideration is being given to tn
suggestion by Germany that America
warships might accompany merchan
vessels across the war zone. Navs
officers say the presence of destroye
would multiply rather than diminis
the danger to the conveyed ships.
Secretary of State Bryan RENAME
silent to-day as to the attitude OF tn
administration, except to say that tn
American press and the American peo
pie would have 10 trust the President.
The administration realizes that tn
menace to the shipping of other neu
trails is relatively far greater than I
that Of the United States, and that tn
Netherlands in particular Seems mos
| likely 10 suffer. For this reason tn
announcement Of the HollandAmeric
Line that its steamer sailing to-mor
row from New York to Rotterdam
which will have 10 traverse the wa
zone. will not pay the slightest atter
tion 10 the German decree was emi
, nently satisfactory to this government
. IL was accepted as indicating that I'll
: Netherlands is determined TO disregar
: Cermany's warning, firm in the conviC
= ton that avoidance of the war zon
would be a recession from her positio
: which, would not be tolerated by tn
Dutch people.
While a feeling OF optimism pr,
vailed in the White House to-da
there was a different feeling anon
the lawyers in the State Department
where the situation created by the ws
zone decree was looked upon as vei