The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-03-12

peror Substitutes lndiscriminate De-
struction for Regulated Capture.
London. March 2.-Premier Asquith
announced in the house OF commons
that the government had decided to
prevent commodities OF any kind from
reaching Germany or leaving that
country.
This means that no foodstuffs OF any
kind will be allowed 10 reach Ger
many The embargo will also be ex-
tended to raw materials.
This action was taken by the British
government in retaliation for Ger
many's submarine warfare against
English merchant ships.
Now a Bread War;"
England will now try 10 starve Ger
many into submission. 1t is believed
that the embargo of the British gov
eminent upon foodstuffs and raw ma
terials will increase the activities OF
the German submarine in the bread
war; against England. In making the
momentous announcement, Premier
Asquith said:
There is no form of economic pres
sure which we do not consider our
selves entitled to assert under exist
ing conditions"
Calls II Piracy.
Premier Asquith, in speaking of Ger
many's submarine war, declared:
Germany has taken a step without
precedence in organizing a campaign
of piracy and pillage.
This is not the time to talk peace.
Those who do so are the victims of
self-delusion The allies will never
sheath the sword till all objects
wherefore they have gone to war have
been achieved"
Notes Served on u. S.
Washington, March 2.-The sub
stance of the British and French notes
is contained in the following statement
| given out by the state department:
The department has received notes
from the British and French ambassa-
doris, in practically identical language,
as follows:
Germany has declared that the
/ English channel, the north and west
| coasts of France and waters around
| the British Isles are a war area and
has officially notified that all enemy
ships found in that area will be de-
| stroyed and that neutral ships may
be exposed to danger. This is. in eff
feet claim to the right to torpedo at
sight, without regard to the safety of
| the crew or passengers. any merchant
vessels under any flag. AS it is not
| in the power Of the German admiralty
TO maintain any surface craft in these
waters. this attack can only be deliv-
cred by a submarine agency.
The law and custom of nations in
regard to attacks on commerce have
always presumed that the first duty
of the captor of a merchant vessel is
to bring it before prize court, where
it may be tried, where the regularity of
the capture may be challenged and
where neutrals may recover their car
goes. The sinking of prizes is in itself
| dU lUdOtQudDlc dCl W Dt ltSOltSu W
only in extraordinary circumstances
md after provision has been made
for the safety of all the crew or pas
sengers.
If there are passengers on board
the responsibility for discriminating
between neutral and enemy vessels
and between neutral and enemy cargo,
obviously rests with the attacking
ship. whose duty it is TO verify the
status and character of the vessel
and cargo and TO preserve all papers
before sinking or even capturing it.
Indiscriminate Destruction.
1T is upon this basis that all pre-
vious discussions of the law for regu.
lating warfare at sea have proceeded
A German submarine. however, full
fills none of the obligations; she en-.
joys no local command Of the waters
in which she operates: she does not
take her captures within the jurisdic
ton of a prize court: she carries nc
prize crew which she can put on board
prize.
The German declaration substi
tutes indiscriminate destruction foI
regulated capture. Germany is adopt
ing these methods against peaceful
traders and noncombatant crews with
the avowed object of preventing com
modities of all kinds. including fooC
for the civil population. from reach
ing or leaving the British Isles OF
northern France.
To Protect Lives.
Her opponents are therefore driver
10 frame retaliatory measures in or
der in their turn TO prevent commod
tiles of any kind from reaching oil
leaving Germany These measure.
will. however. be enforced by the Brit
ish and French governments withou
risk 10 neutral ships or TO neutral OF
noncombatant life and in strict observ
ance OF the dictates of humanity. Tn,
British and French governments will
| hold fhanaco,voc free - d