Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-19

II was 10 be expected that a wrong
Interpretation would be put upon the
difference In tenor ~ the American
notes 81 protest 10 Germany and
Great Britain. But their tenor could
not be the same, for the simple rea-
son that the two subjects Of protest
were Of vastly different nature.
The note 90 Great Britain had ex-
lelnslvely to do with the deceptive use
OF the Nag Of the United states upon
British vessels. AS our own navy re-
sorted 10 this practice as recently as
the war with spain, il was manifest
y out Of the question for Us to set up
ANY plea OF International law or
usage about a rgse Of war that has
been sanctioned by nations from
time out OF mind, How common the
nsc of Gags other than our own has
been is Illustrated IN the following
article from the New York Times.
I'm June. 1898. during the war
with spain the converted cruiser
Yale, on the lookout for prize ships
off the coast Of san DOMINGO, hoist
ed the naH Of Spain to deceive a for
eign merchantmen. The Yale. which
was formerly Inc New York OF the
American line, was commanded by
Captain Charles u. Sigsbee, now rear
admiral
The Yale had captured the Brit
iHh collier Restormel, laden with con.
irahand coal. and was then ordered to
proceed TO Porto Rico Ia blockade
san Juan harhor Captain sigsbee
took a southerly route along the coast
Of Haiti and San Domingo. and about
June 20 ship was sighted. proceed
Ing westward. AS the vessel ap-
preached. observers reported her 10
be spanish merchantmen Imme-
dlately orders were given 10 lower /
the American flag on the Yale and /
break out the yellow and red colors 1
Of the enemy.
Thus disguised. the Yale waited !
while the supposed Spanish vessel !
drew nearer This vas dune to pre- i
vent her getting away. II was feared
that the Yale, By keeping the stars
and Stripes at the masthead would
be recognized In time for the stranger
10 turn and run or more likely seek
u
would bar the warship's progress. An
lfiicer, who told 0f the incident. said
he trick was regarded as iustifIahle
tuse de guerrc. having many pre-
,edents In former naval warfare.
THE Spanish Tag WAS carried about
wenty minutes. when the either was
% near that the Yale could easily
,yerhaul her. Then the American
lag was run up. The ships drew to-
sether. and when i was found that
he stranger was a neutral vessel she
vas allowed to go about her business
Without further Interference.
The incident was not even mem
Toned in Captain Sigsbee's formal re-
iort.s Navy men, IN fact. had almost
Orgottan Il until discussion arose
iver the Lusitanla case.
The most we could do in the way
i protest TO Great Britain We did
10. that Is to make q distinction be-
ween the occasional use aud the gen
raj use Of the Tag for purposes OF
deception and to protest against the {
after Il is one thing to resort to
uch a practice to escape capture,
'ut Il is another thine TO make a /
ustom Of flying the fiag Of the United q
tates upon all British vessels in q
far area. especially when this area
as been defined in the German dec /
aratiou.
Vet who Is 20 define clearly the dlf- q
orcnce between occasional use and /,
enerai USE As We. like other ma \
Ions, have resorted To the occasional
Sc. how can we undertake to do !
aorc than call attention 10 the fact !,
nat It would he "a serious and con-
Iant menace to the lives and the yes Z
els Of American citizens" il such 7
ractiee is continued :
As an extreme measure az warfare. 4
aese two nations Great Britain and a
ermany, have decided 70 try 70
Iarye each other into submission. =
Iideous and ahhorrent as this war Il
leasufe IS in results. it is one of the i
ievitabic and accepted means OF \
sercominE an enemy as was proved \
i our own civil war. This being the h
use, il IS neither proper nor neutral
lr the Washington government 20
iterfere, save 70 protect American a
gh,s. lives and property. Il
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China says that Japan's demands ri