The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-08
Text of Document On Sub marine Warfare is
 Not Received
NAVAL COMMANDERS
 gro AVOID VIOLENCE"
President Wilson and Cabinet Come to No Decision As to Whether or Not the United States
 Will Enter Protest

Washington, February 7.-Although the text of Germany's official memorandum explaining the admiralty's proclamation of a submarine campaign against enemy merchant ships has been delayed in trans mission and did not reach the state de- partment today from Ambassador GerarS( publication in the press of the text 70 the document produced a profoundf pression in the national capital
 As the memorandum revealed that Ger man naval commanders had been ordered to avoid violence" to neutral ships. it was regarded as much more reassuring than the brief proclamation. though there was some uneasiness over the suggestion in the memorandum that efforts to tor pedo enemy ships might unintentionally strike neutral vessels.
 President Wilson and his cabinet have come to no decision as to whether the United States will enter a protest, 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 well as neutral ves- sels.. The declaration of London pro- vides that all persons aboard an enemy merchant ship must be saved before the vessel is destroyed
 May Not Protest
 If assurances are given that merchant ships will not be summarily destroyed without giving an opportunity for per- sons aboard to be saved, it is regarded as certain that the American govern .l.s- protest against the German proclama- ton.
 It was apparent among high officials that the hoisting of the American flag on the British steamer Lusitania imme- diately after. the charge had been made IL tine German adnlfraltss s irocia nasibn that neutral flags had been ordered used 1 by Great Britain was more likely to call forth diplomatic discussion than the proc lamation itself. This incident may call forth an inquiry tomorrow if Ambassa- dor Page does not report on it by then.
 The presence of many close friends and relatives of high officials of the American government on board the Lusi- tania and stories that the vessel raised the American flag to protect neutral pas sengers brought home to officials the question of safety for American tray cling by sea and the necessity for an early understanding.
 Heed German Warning
 While there is no law of the United States penalizing any vessel that en- ters or leaves American ports for using the American flag without authorization and no explicit rule the subject ever has been incorporated in the internat tional law. the embarrassments whie,r jesuit from such a practice caused much spec ulation among diplomats. The German warning that neutrals should not voy- age on enemy merchant ships probably will be needed to some extent, it was thought, but the effect on those Ameri- cans who are in Europe now and plan to return home by the big English and French passenger liners was another phase of the situation that was studied.
 In some executive quarters it was be- lieved that the German naval command CTS had been given much more strict in- structions about caring for. the safety of civilians of both enemy and neutral countries on board merchant ships than had been made public, the view suggest ed was that Germans action was aimed chiefly against the eargoes of contra band and the troop ships crossing the English channel.
 In this connection it was said that official information had been received by the American government that for the last month England had transported an average of 30000 men each week across the channel. Official estimates which have reached the American government place the number of British troops in the field now as close to 500.000. with the expectation that kitcheners army of a million 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 yainly in this re- spect was not generally known here un- til the German memorandum was made public.