The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-02-12

In the circumstances to request the,
imperial German government 20 corr
slider, before action is taken, the crit
icci situation in respect to the, rela-
tion between this country and Ger
many which might arise were the
German naval forces, in carrying out
the policy foreshadowed In the adj
miralty's proclamation to destroy any.
merchant vessel OF the United States,
or cause the death of American citi-'
zens.
Only Right to visit ana Search.
"tIt is Of course not necessary to
remind the German government that
the sole right OF a belligerent in deal-
ing with neutral, vessels on the high.
seas is limited to visit and search, un-
less blockade Is proclaimed and ef-
fectiyely maintained, which this gov
ernment does not understand to be
proposed in this case. To declare or
exercise right to attack and destroy
any vessel entering a area OF the high
seas without first certainly determin-
ing fits belligerent nationality and the
contraband character OF its cargo
would be an act so unprecedented in
paval warfare that this government
/ Is reluctant to believe that the inn
perial government OF Germany in this
case contempIates It as possible The
suspicion that enemy ships are using
neutral flags improperly can create no
lust presumption that all ships tra-
versipg az prescribed area are subject
to the same suspicion. It is to de-
termine exactly such questions that
this government understand the right
OF Visit and search to have been rec
ognized.
Not Open 70 Criticism.
This governments has carefully
n6tea INC Sat
sued by the imperial German govern
ment at the same time with the pro-
ciamation OF the German admiralty
and takes this occasion to remind the
imperial German government varySre-
spectfully that the government OF the
United States is open to none OF tbs
Icriticisms for unneutral action to
which the German government be-
! lieve the governments OF certain 9th.
er neutral nations have laid them
selves open; that the government of
Irire United States has not consented
to or acquiesced in any measures
which may have been taken by the
other beiliger1nt nations In The. pres
lent wRyas ZACH operate to restrain neu.
tai GHde, DuL nus On tiIt5 eS;s: :: -, :. -. =
lahEn AZ Aii Sucn tnAlterB "a poSftlOn
which warrants it IN holding those
governments Responsible in the prop
ef eay for any untoward effects on
American shipping which the accept
led printiples OF iaternationai law do
not Justify; and that 1t, therefore, re-
CARDS itself as free IN the present in-
stance, 90 take with q clear Coincidence
and upon accepted principles the po-
sition indicated in this note.
L Violation og Seasral Rights.
II the commanders of German
vessels OF war should act npon the
presumption that the flag OF the
lBnited States was nos being used in
good faith ana should destroy on the
high seas an AsHericaa vessel or the
Lives OF American Hisena, it would
Ibe diflicult for the rnEient OF the
| unifed States to view the ael I'd any
lother light than as an indefensfble
Igiolatinh Ds neutral rignts which Il
would be xesy hard indeed to recon-
eiie with the friendIs relations nov
leo happily existing between the fwo
! a1t.arnlnents
gonsa nsla fs1Fhabe sfsY,bnSlflf.
skf such deplorsbte esf ftioh