The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-10
IMPRESSED BY GERMAN NOTE
WASHINGTON GRATIFTED VJO.
LEN0E TO NEUTRAL SHIPS is
TO BE AVOIDED.
United States May Not Enter Protest
as 1t Appears Germany's Action is
Aimed Chiefly at Contraband and
Troop Ships.

Washington, Feb. 7.-Although the
text Of Germany's official memoran-
dunn explaining the admiraltv,s nroc-
lamation of a submarine campaign
against enemy merchant ships has
been delayed in transmission. and I'D
not reach the State department TO-
day from Ambassador Gerard. pub |
lication in the press Of the text of the
document produced a profound i'm
preston in the national capital
AS the memorandum revealed that
German commanders had been order
ed to "avoid violence" to neutral ships,
it was regarded as much more re-
assuring than the brief proclama-
ton, though there was some uneasi-
ness over the suggestion in the mem
orandum that efforts to torpedo enc
my ships might unintentionally strike
neutral vessels.
President Wilson and his cabinet
have come to no decision as to wheth-
er the United States will enter a pro-
test, but it is believed some inquiry
may be made as to what steps are
planned to take off passengers and
crews from enemy merchant ships as
we'll as neutral vessels. The declara-
tion Of London provides that all per-
sons aboard an enemy merchant ship
must be saved before the vessel is de-
stroyed.
chant ships will not be summarily de-
stroycd without giving an opportunity
for persons aboard to be saved, it is
regarded as certain that the American
government, observing strict neutral
ity, will not protest against the Ger
man proclamation.
1t was apparent among high officials
that the hosting Of the American flag
on the British steamer Lusitania inn
mediately after the charge had been
made in the German admiraltys proc
lamation that neutral flags had been
ordered used by Great Britain was
more likely to call forth diplomatic
discussion than the proclamation it.
self This incident may call forth an
inquest tomorrow if Ambassador Page
does not report on it by then.
The presence OF many close friends
nf ,;Crl, 4;o1c
American government aboard the Lu-
sitania and stories that the vessel
raised the American flag to protect
neutral passengers brought home to
officials the question of safety for
Americans travelling by sea and the
necessity for an early understanding.
While there is no law Of the United
States penalizing any vessel that en-
tcrs or leaves American ports for
using the American flag without au-
thorization and no explicit rule on the
subject ever has been incorporated in
international law, the embarrassments
which might result from such a prac.
tlce caused much speculation among
diplomats.
IN some executive quarters it was
believed that the German naval COM
maders had been given much more
strict instructions about caring for the
safety OF civilians of both the enemy
and neutral countries on board mer-
chant ships than had been made pub
lie.
The view suggested was that Ger
many's action was aimed chiefly
against the cargOeS of contraband
and the troop ships crossing the Eng
iish channel
IN this connection it was said that
ofcial information had been received
by the American government that for
the last month England had trans
ported an average of 10000 men each
week across the channel. Oflcial es-
Inmates which have reached the
American government place the num-
ber Of British troops in the field now
as close to 100000, with the expecta-
ton that Kitchener's army of q mil
lion was likely to be in France by
spring.
Germany's charge that England has
not respected neutral property aboard
enemy ships and that neutral govern
ments have protested vainly in this
respect was not generally known here
! until the German memorandum was
made public.