Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-02
Strong Protest Is Expected to
Be Lodged Against Position
Announced by Great Britain
and France,
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
TO AMERICAN COMMERCE
Prohibition Extends to Dye
StuffS Essential 10 Manufac-
ture of Textile Goods Of
America,


hlIGi lNhAi
ICY MORNING. JOURNAL SPECIAL trAsro waFl
washington, March An COM
merclal intercourse bl sea between
Germany ana the outside world was
declared today prohibited hy Great
Britain ana France Identical notes
presented by the French and British
ambassadors here informed the Unit
ed states government of this drastic
step los the allies in reply to Ger
many's war zone proclamation.
If this policy Is enforced it viii no
longer be possible 90 ship cotton.
manufactured articles and commodi-
ties hitheto of nou-contraband
character from the United States to
Germany, directly or indirectly. and
from the latter country the supply
Of dye stufls and other merchandise
for consumption in this country will
be cut off
May Make strong Protest
The impression WAS general in Of
fetal quarters tonight that strong
protest would be made agaiust the
action Of the allies which was re-
garded as an unprecedented and
novel step. Officials pointed out that
in the reprisals which the bclliger-
cnts were making toward each other
there was a singular forgotfulncss of
the fact that whatever might be the
violations OF international custom as
between those countries at war these
could not affect the status Of inter-
national rules as between the United
States ana countries with which she
was at peace
Assurances given by Great Britain
that today's note was not reply to
the recent proposals of the United
states for an adjustment Of the en-
tire situation which led to the retail
atory measures, gave ground for
some hopes that the measures taken
might Doe only Of q temporary char
acter. In this connection the state
department issued the following
statement
Considering American Note.
"The British ambassador has pre-
scented the following instructions from
his government
" when presenting Joint Anglo
French communication YOU should in
from them through the United States
that the communication received
from them through the United tSates
ambassador at London respecting "a
possible limitation of use OF subma-
rincs ana mines and an arrangement
for supplying food to Germany is be-
ing taken into consideration by his
majestys government in consultation
with their allies
The text of the British note, which
was the same as the statement in the
house of commons 10y Premier AS
quith was given out at the state de-
partment with the Information that
the French note was practically iden-
teal II follows:
Text of British Note.
Germany has declared that the
English channel the north and west
coasts of France ana the waters
around ,he British isles are war
area and has officially notified that
an enemy ships found i'm that area
Will be destroyed and that neutral
vessels may be exposed to danger.
This IS i'm erect claim to torpedo
at sight without regard To safety of
the crew or passengers of any mcr-
chant vessel under any flag. As it is
not in the power of the German adj
miralty 60 maintain any surface craft
in these waters this attack can only
be delivered by submarine agencies
international Law Disrcgarded.
"'fhe law and customs of nations
in regard TO attacks ON commerce
have always presumed that The first
duty of the captor of merchant
vessel Is to bring it before a prize
court where Il may be tried where
the regularity Of the capture may be
challenged ana where neutrals may
recover their cargoes The sinking
Of prizes is n itself a. questionable
act to be rcsorted to i'm only extra
ordinary circumstances ana after pro-
vision has been made for the safety
of AL the crew or passengers If
there are passengers on board. the re-
spousibiuN for discriminating be
tween ueutrals and enemy vessels and
between neutral and enemy cargo. OBJ
NousIy rests with the attacking ship,
whose duty il is to verify the status
and character of the vessel and cargo
and 20 preserve all papers before
sinking or even capturing it, So also
IS the humane duty of providing
for the safety of the crews of mer-
chant vessels, whether neutral or en-
emmy an obligation upon every bellig-
ercut
Obligations ENadcd.
'lt is upon this basis that all pre-
yious discussions OF the law for reg
ulatng warfare At sea have pro-
cceded. A German submarine, how
ever, fulfills none OF these obligations:
she enjoys no local command of the
waters in which she operates; she
does not take her captures within the
jurisdiction Of "a prize court; she car
ries 10 prize crew which she can put
aboard a prize she uses no effective
means of discriminating between a
neutral and an enemy vessel She does
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