The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-02-19
BRITAIN CRI3ES
CERMANY'S CRY
Starvation Plea Comes with III
Grace Former Says.
PLIGHT OF BELGIUM is CITED

German Reply to v. S. Given to Envoy
Gerard-Britain Contends If Food
Shortage Arises in Germany Latter
Can Seek Peace-Contraband List
to Be Enlarged.
Germany's reply to the United States
note Of protest against the regula.
tions proposed for war zone In the
waters around the British Isles,
has been handed to Ambassador
james w. Gerard and probably will
be forwarded to Washington imme-
diateIy.
Under the headline Supreme Warn
ing," says an Amsterdam dispatch,
the German papers publish a semi
official communication once more
warning all neutral ships to avoid
the war zone established In the wa
ters around the British isles.
Washington, Feb. 18.-The crisis
caused by the German proclamation
Of maritime war zone about the Brit
ish Isles will reach its most acute
stage today when the new German
policy OF destroying mercantile ship
ping within the stipulated area is in
augurated.
The United States government feels
that it has done everything possible
to meet the situation caused by the
use of the American flag on a British
merchant ship and by the German de-
cree. The immediate course of this
country will be to await and see how
far the belligerents are willing to go
in OBSERVING the wishes and rights Of
the United States. A cabinet meet
ing was held in Washington to review
the situation which is regarded with
concern" inasmuch as Great Britain
is apparently on the point Of adopting
still more rigorous measures to shut
off Germany's food supplies.
The British foreign Office placed a
prize crew aboard the American food
ship Wilhelmina and the status of the
cargo which was destined for German
non-combatants is now definitely es-
tablished as before a prize court. Ger
many has announced that her war
fare against mercantile shipping will
! be pressed unremittingly unless Great
Britain indicates by her treatment Of
the Wilhelmina that she would permit
food stuffs for German civilians to
pass from neutral powers.
U. S. Can Send War Ships.
Some German newspapers point out
that the United States can protect
adequately its merchant commerce by
stationing war ships in Irish waters
to convoy and instruct American ships
past the danger zone created by Ger.
many. The tone of the German press
towards the United States note is
moderating but considerable feeling
against Americans still exists In Ber.
lin.
HcIds Government Controls Foodstuffs
Our correspondent learns that the
attitude Of Great Britain on the points
raised by Count Won Bernstorff, the
German ambassador at Washington
will probably be that, firstly, Germany
has decreed that the government shall
have control of all food stuffs and
secondly, that any food stuffs shipped
to Germany must be consigned to
some public authority. The conscn
tion that Germany would not seize
imported food stuffs will not hold
water as there Is no necessity for
her to seize them as they have al
ready been consigned either to the
central or imperial government or to
some public authority controlled by
the imperial government.
Germany's Cry In Bad Grace.
1t is pointed out that the endeavor
OF Germany to raise the cry Of inhu
manity against the starving of WON
en-, children and civilians comes with
bad grace from a country that has alb
solutely denuded Belgium of food
stores and forced her to rely on the
philanthropy of the United States and
other countries to prevent the limo
cent population from starving.
From reports received here it is
not apparent thah the civilian popu.
lation Of Germany is in any immediate
danger of a food shortage. II is con
tended that should shortage arise
Germany can relieve the situation by
seeking peace.