Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-02-25
Cabinet Considers Replies to
Germany and England With
Regard to Properly Re-
specting "0Id Glory"
FIRM STAND is EXPECTED
Two Norwegian Ships Sunk By
German Mines and Torpedoes
Kaiser Stands BY His
Blockade Attitude.
DEVELOPMENTS IN
BLOCKADE DISPUTE


UNITED sTATES-The American
cabinet today is considering the notes
OF rma and England. 1t is ex-
pected that a reply will be sent to
Germany insisting that all ships flying
the United States flag be fully identi-
fed before being attacked. The govern
ment is willing to allow the Wilhelmina
case to be adjudicated in a prize court
to lay foundation for future proceed
lngs Of similar character. Further rep
reservations will be made concerning
the use of the stars and stripes by bel
ligerents.
GERMANY-The kaiser's government
is firm in its stand with reference 10
enforcing the British blockade adict.
one neutral steamer. the Norwegian
ship, Belridge. has already beer tor
pedoed and the Norwegian ship Bjarka,
has been sunk by a mine.
ENGlAND-Great Britain maintains
the right Of merchant vessels of bel
hgerents to fly neutral flags to escape
capture and insists that if German
submarines sink neutral vessels by
mistake such act will constitute piracy
for which the German government alone
can be held responsible by neurrals
thus affected.
London, Feb. 2o,-The steamship
pedoed today off AImwych bay,
Wales, by a German Submarine
without warning.
The third engineer and two
f'remen of the cambank wore
killed and another member of the
crew was drowned while getting
INTO a boat. The remainder of the
crew was saved. The Cambank
had just taken aboard a pilot for
Liverpool.
Washington, D. c.. Feb. 2o.-t is ex-
pected that the American government
will soon reply to the British and Ger
man notes relative to the use of the
American flag and the proper identih-
cation of neutral ships in the wac zone
about the British isles.
1t Is believed that the government
Will make further representations tc
England concerning the danger to neu-
trails through the use of their national
emble1ns and will insist that German
submarines fully identify vessels flying
the American flag before attacking
them.
Germany has insisted this will be
impossible because of the danger sub
marines Would encounter at the hands
or armed merchantmen OF the enemy,
though they might be concealing their
$3.50 NAAANSi NllS Slui - III L ICY
Ofhcial texts of Germany's reply to
the American note on the naval wal
zone and Great Britain's reply to the
american notes on the use of the
American flag and the Wilhelmina case
all arrived today at the state depart
rlent.
The German reply. delivered by the
Berlin foreign office three days aga
to Ambassador Gerard, had been de
layed IN transmission. 1t was at once
converted from the diplomatic code
and sent to the White House to be laid
before the president. who, however,
had already been Informed of it's CON
tents by Mr.. Gerard and the unofficial
text published two days ago.
With the official text at hand, how
will begin formal consideration of Ger
manys reply to the warning of ths
United States against destruction OF
American ships or lives in the naval
war zone about the British isles. Cen
orally, the tone of the German note
has been regarded as friendly.
Great Britain's reply to the represen-
tations on the use of the American flag
bears upon the American view of the
German reply and the mex step in the
negotiations with Berlin. In expecting
Germany to identify American ships
before attacking them by ubmarine
the United States is anxious there shall
be no general use of the American flag
by foreign vessels.
The state department is willing to
let the Wilhelmina case be adjudicated
by a prize court, and thus lay the legal
foundation for other proceedings of a
like character.
Count Bernstorff. the German nm
bassador. conferred at the state de-
partment with Secretary Bryan aud
Councillor Lansing. While neither the
ambassador nor the American Officials
indicated the exact snhiect of tnair
talk the ambassador said he desired to
emphasize the view of his government
that Germany was not to blame for the
present situation around the British
Isles. causing difficulty to neutral ship
ping. He reiterated hts contentious.
that Great Britain was responsible. L;
was said the ambassador presented nG
new communications.
with general use of the flag by Brit
ish merchantmen and the British reply
explicitly states that the admiralty
had not advised any general use of the
flag and had not suggested it's use by
the Lusitania.
The British reply on the WilheImina
case probably will stop further ex-
changes until a prize court has acted.
The American note was based upon
the right of a neutral to ship food to
the civil population of a belligerent-
The British reply does not deny that.
but by making the point that all Ger
man males are practically part of the