Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-06

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-e-Prosident
Wilson and his cabinet discussed to-
day the possible effects on neutral
shipping of the German proclamation
declaring as naval war zones the wa
ter areas surrounding Great Britain
and ireland and bordering the north
and west coasts of France and a por-
tion of the Netherlands.
Inasmuch as the text Of the Ger
man admiralty's proclamation has not
arrived, no conclusions We're reached
and no consensus of opinion develop
ed as TO what diplomatic steps should
be taken by thr Tnited asases gov
ernment. should the communication
fail to arrive by tomorrow, Acting
Secretary Lansing viii direct Ann
bassador Gerard at Berlin TO make
customary inquiry at the German
foreign office as to the authenticity
of published report
Course Of Washington.
If the German proclamation. when
officially transmitted, corresponds in
phraseology To the report which came
by wireless yesterday, 1t was suggest
ed in executive quarters that the
course of the American government
probably would be to inquire, first, OF
the German government What meas
ures Of protection or convoy can be
expected by American merchant
ships passing through the designated
war zones to neutral ports, and, Sec
I ond, Of the British government as TO
whether or not 1t has issued the al
/ legged secret order permitting the
use Of neutral flags by her merchant
men A denial by Great Britain of
3 A. ~ hg
followed. il is understood, by an in
quiry Of the German authorities as to
proof OF their charge The suggestion
I that neutral flags We're being mis-
used caused no little concern among
high officials, who said they had
heard no reports Of il before
Germany Has Probable Right
Beyond seeking to establish what
measures the Germany navy win take
I TO aid American ships in passing
/ safely through the war zones and
what efforts viii be made to verify
the neutral character OF vessels fly
! ing the American nag, it was stated
on high authority that the United
States government probably would
not GO The right Of u belligerent to
/ designate a water area as a war zone
/ in which it is dangerous for neutral
craft to venture is lately recognized
principle OF international law, the
extent OF the zone, the degrees Of
menace to neutral vessels and the
right To interrupt lawful commerce
/ in the only existing water routes be-
tween neutral countries, have never
I been defined.
! The declaration by Great Britain
+ of the North sea was war zone be-
cause Of the mines strewn there,
lcalled forth protests from some Of
the European neutral countries but
the United States made no protest.
! Pilots were furnished for neutral
ships. Similarly during the Russo
| Japanese war, it was recalled by Of
iicials today, there were designated
/ by Japan twelve strategic areas
! Certain rules were promulgated for
the treatment of neutral ships in
those zones ana something Of the
same character is expected to result
! in the present situation.
Regarding Neutral Vessels.
[ High officials here did not believe,
as some German papers have intlmat-
! ed, that the German government in-
/ tends to deliberately destroy neutral
vessels in the war zone. Rules Of IN
| ternational law, II was pointed out,
call for careful search or a neutral
vessel to determine how much Of its
| cargo Is eontrabana and even then
! the ship can he destroyed only IA
case Of emergencies and on the con-
fldent assumption that 1t would have
been condemned as a prize.
While in many quarters. the action
of Germany was referred TO as a
1 "bloekade," technically the designa-
ton of war zones is an entirely differ
! ent matter. Neutral vessels under a
blockade are absolutely forbidden
from entering the blockaded areas,
but under Germany's proclamation
there Is no penalty or obstacle direct
ly placed against the passage of a
| neutral ship through q war gone after
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