Evening star., 1915-02-18
Admitted in Official Circles
War Zone Situation Fraught
With Gravity.
CALL WARSHlP CONVOY
AN IMPRACTICAL IDEA
German Press Hostility to U. S.
Continues. Although Berlin
Government Friendly.

Fear for the safety of American ship
ping as Il result of the submarine war
fare against merchant ships in British
waters threatened by Germany over
shadowed today interest in the publica-
tion OF the full text of Great Britain $
reply to the American governments
protest against interference with Unit
ed States commerce.
The time limit set by Germany for
enforcing her proclamation expired
last midnight. Meanwhile the United
States awaited the official reply OF Ger
many to the American note of protest
against the submarine decree.
This afternoon, the official text OF the
German reply HAD not reached Wash
ington, bat another message was re-
ceived from Amba sSador Gerard giving
an outline of it. Evidently his dispatch
had been sent before the official text
had been converted into the diplomatic
code and started on its way to America
Administration officials read the text
as transmitted in the foregoing dis
patches. and while declining to COM
ment until the official text had been re-
ceived, they apparently were gr2tified
with the friendly tone of the German
communication.
U. S. Exhausted Efforts.
Resting confident in the belief that
the United States government has done
all that it can for the protection OF
American life and shipping in the So
called war zone around the British
Isles by serving notice upon Germany
that she would BE- held responsible Tor
any loss. the officials of the state De-
partment have now settled down TO
await developments.
Secretary Bryan went early to the
White House for conference with
President Wilson. They discussed the
neutral shipping situation generally,
the British note published this morning
and the unofficial outline of Gcrmany's
answer.
1t is beyond the power of the gov
ernment to restrain an American ship
captain from taking his vessel into
the war zone, as there is no law on
the statute books that pronlb!ts
America ships from freely navigating
the open seas outside of territorial
waters.
1t is assumed that all mariners. in
Guiding Americans, have taken notice
of the German warning. which 1t is oh
viously improper for the State Depart
ment to transmit officially, because to
do so might be construed as an admis-
sion of the right of the German govern
ment to adopt that course.
None Of the officials, however, are
looking for news of a wholesale tor
pedoing of merchant shipping 1t was
REGARDED as inconceivable that the
British government had not adopted
precautions to thwart the German de-
sign as far as the most powerful navy
in the world could bring that to pass.
England's Contentious.
Great Britains answer says that If
American commerce js depressed the
cause ought, in fairness, to be sought
elsewhere than in the activities of the
British fleet"
1t further states that 'in any coun-
try in which there exists such tre-
mendous organization for war as OBJ
tains in Germany. there is no clear di-
vision between those whom the gov
ernment is responsible for feeding and
whom il is not"
While officials at the White House
and State Department did not discuss
what might be done if any American
vessels or lives should be lost in the
war zones, it was admitted on all
sides that the situation was fraught
with many grave possibilities.
Ambassador Gerards dispatches con-
tinued to give the text of anti-Ameri-
can editorials being printed in semi
official papers In Germany. Officials
Of the Washington government, how
ever. were confident of their rights and
pointed out that a position similar to
that of the United States had been
adopted by practically all the other
neutrals of the world.
Representatives of the German gov
ernment are entirely friendly in their
conferences with Ambassador Gerard.
and there is nothing to show that Off
cially there has been any change In
the good relations which have hitherto
existed.
The manner of carrying out the sub
marine campaign is awaited here with
considerably anxiety. 1t was hoped that
on account OF the fact that negotia tions
were still pending with neutral govern
ments the German proclamation would
not actually be carried into effect for I,
few days. although scheduled to be put
into force last midnight. Many Ameri-
can vessels will he In the war zones in
the next few days. having left the United
States before the German proclamation
was made public. and these will be af-
forded. it is believed. an opportunity to
reach their destinations
Convoy Plan 1mpracticable.
The recent suggestion from German
sources that American merchantmen
II conveyed by an American warship
has not met with approval in naval
circles here.
1t was pointed out that no naval
captain would be willing to assume
full responsibility for the non-contra-
band character of the cargo of any
American ship which might fall in
with his vessel and claim his protec-
tion, as an adequate search of the
merchantmen on the high seas would
be out of the question.
Furthermore. it is suggested. that the
threatened British retalia ton for the
German war zone order may be the is
sue of notice of a blockade of the Ger
man coast. In that case not even an
American man-of-war would have the
right to pass the blockade lines alone.
much less with convoy of merchant
ships.
Formal notice by the British Of the
blockade and recognition of it by the
United States would of course at once
remove from the field of~diplomatic ne
aotiations all questions relating to the
right of neutral nations to send car
goes of food to the civil population Of
the blockaded state.