New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-02-27
M1SUSING OUR FLAG.

AS might reasonably have bee
expected, the United States get
very little satisfaction from eth
err Germany or England over tn
misuse by England of our fla
and the danger Of American ship
being blown up on account of il
England says she is not going t,
interfere in the matter. He
ships can use our flag to escap,
destruction or capture. German,
stands pat on the proposition tina
she is going to blockade EnglisI
ports by the use Of mines am
submarines and she intimates thai
she will blow up merchant ship,
that She is convinced are enemy
ships, no matter what flag they
fly. She makes it plain that the
United States will have to look
out for her ships by adopting
some means of distinguishing
them, suggesting that a convoy of
American warships would be the
proper way.
Eng glands position is clearly
justified by the plecedents, and
We are relying now on the pre-
cedents and not on battleships
and submarines. The Use by bel
ligerents of the flags Of neutral
nations for the purpose of deceiv-
ing an enemy is as old as the rse
of flags for any purpose. The
English attitude is clearly justifi-
able in the light of former usage,
and in the light of common sense.
On the other hand, the German
attitude is defensable. Germany
assures the United States that she
will do her best not to modest
American ships, but she makes it
clear that it will be her first aim
to make an effective blockade of
English ports, and in order to do
this she will have to attack any
ship that seems to be AN enemy
ship.
Germany will conduct this
campaign with submarines, which
carry only small crew. Mani
testify, the crew of a submarine
would be taking tremendous
risks il they were to board mer-
chantmen that are heavily armed.
II the submarines are to be eff
fective they must operate as sub
marines and not as surface craft
operate. ''r
1t is a ticklish position for the
United States. particularly in
view of the fact that we are in
danger Of becoming involved only
with Germany. which is already
claiming that we favor the allies.
When we remember that on
both sides the belligerents are
fighting for their very national
existence. we can not be too in
'sistent on the observance of the
precedents. Neither the allies
nor the Germans are going to-
stick for q minute on a matter of
diplomatic, politeness, nor are
they going to weigh our friend
ship in the balance with a distinct
advantage over the enemy.
Clearly, if it gets too hot in the
Irish sea and the English chan,
mel, it will be up to us to keep out
Of the Irish sea and the English
channel.
" If our merchant ships take the
chances and enter the forbidden
zone, what are we going to do
about it in case a German sub
marine makes mistake? Are
we going to declare war on Ger
manyi Perhaps we would be
satisfied with a disclaimer of in
tention, diplomatic apology and
the payment Of an indemnity, with
Z salute to our flag. War with
Germany would be at least
possibility. 1t is certain that we
want no war with Germany nor
with any other country, and there
fore it will be wise for the United
States to declare that it will be
responsible for nothing that hap
pens to American ships in the
danger zone.--Beaumont Enter
prise.
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