Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-18
SIX NOTES PUBLISHED
TO CLEAR UP SITUATION
England and France Declare Neutral
Shipping Will Not Be Con.
fiscated When Taken.
RIGHT TO SEIZE IS UPHELD
American Government Disappointed
Over Failure of It's Efforts to End
Perils to Commerce in Bel
ligerent Waters.

Whether to acquiesce in or protest
against the action of Great Britain
and her allies in declaring blockade
against Germany was the question
which confronted the American gov
ernmerit following the publication OF
the complete series of notes between
the United States and the belIigerents
regarding the safety Of neutral ship
ping.
Officials were today collecting data
for what is expected to be a vigorous
protest against the form of the propos-
ed blockade against Germany. Presi-
dent Wilson already has indicated
that protest would be made.
There were all told six notes. They
are printed on another page Theft
publication by the State Department
not only cleaned the slate of the dip
lomatic correspondence, bus recorded
the failure of efforts on the part Of ad-
ministration officials TO bring the bel
which their actions place the neutral
commerce Of the world. This is
keen disappointment to officials.
Uses Word BLOCKADE
For the first time the British use the
word blockade" in describing their
new policy.
The communications revealed that the
United States government, realizing
the difficulties Of maintaining an ef-
fective blockade by q close guard OF
an enemy coast on account of the new
ly developed activity Of submarines.
asked that "a radius of activity" be
defined. Great Britain and France re-
piled with the announcement that the
conducted "outside of European waters.
including the Mediterranean"
Germans Agree; Allies Decline.
While Germany agreed. 1t Is disclosed.
to abandon her submarine attacks on
mercantile of any fag,' except when
they resist visit or search, provided
foodstuffs were permitted to reach her
civilian population, Great Britain and
her allies rejected the proposal, origi-
nally made by the United states gov
ernment in an effort to BRING the bel
ligerents into an arrangement which
would safeguard the interests OF neu-
trails.
Furthermore. the documents show
that in a message OF inquiry to Great
Britain and France the United States
asked whether the embargo on all
commerce between Germany and neu-
trail countries was to be carried out
under the rules OF a blockade or BY
Interference with ships and cargoes ''as
if no blockade existed the two to-
gether presenting, in the view of the
American government, proposed
course of action previously unknown
to international law.
The answers from both Great Britain
and France reveal for the first time
that the allies officially regard their
policy as a blockade bu; desire TO
refrain from exercising the rights oil
bellIgerents under a blockade to con-
fscate ships and cargoes as a penalty
for breach of blockade. substituting
for it procedure in prize courts ara
compensatiou through sale Of the de-
tanned merchandise
Radius of Activity.
The definition OF a radius of activ-
ity" for the allied fleet in European
waters, including the Mediterranean. il
the first fntimation of the geographical
limits of the blockade. Its limits were
not given more exactly, the allies claim.
because Germany was equally fndef1-
mite in proclaiming all the waters sur
rounding Great Britain and ireland
war zone.
The restriction of the area of opera
tions of the blockade to European wa
fers followed this observation by the
United States to both Great Britain and
France:
..While this government is fully alive
to the possibility that the methods OF
the use of the submarine for both de-
fensfye and offensive operations. may
make the former means of maintaining
a blockade physical impossibllity. IL
feels that it can be urged with great
force that there should be also some
limit to the radius of activity. and
especially so II this action by the bel
lieerents can be construed to be a
blockade 1t would certainly create a
serious state Of affairs If. for example,
an American vessel laden with car
go of German origin should escape the
British patrol in European waters only
to be held up by a cruiser Off New
York and taken into Halifax"
Puzzles q. s. Officials.
Officials admitted being somewhat
puzzled over the British rejection Of the
proposals made by the United States in
his connection. They observed a state
nent in the British reply to the Amer
,ompar rison with the German note The
British reply. refusing to enter into the
agreement. says in reference TO the
American communication:
ssThe reply of the German govern
nent to this note has been published,
and 1t is not understood from the re-
nIy that the German government -
orepared to abandon the practice o,
sinking British merchant vessels by
submarines.
What Germany said oficially was a.
follows:
7ertake not to use its submarines TO
attack mercantile Of any flag except
.hen necessary to enforce the right
,f visit and search.
The proposal of the United States
VAS that Germany and Great Britain
,hould agree that neither will use
to attack merchant vessels
,f any nationality except to enforce
he right OF visit and search"
Explanation Puzzles.
-rb. only axnlanafion advanoed by af.