The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-02-18
WARNS BRITAIN AND GERMANY.
Germany May BE Held Accountable.
England is Cautioned.

of the texts of notes sent yesterday
Great Britain and Germany, re-
spectively, repeated that both coun-
tries had been warned in most en-
phatic terms against menacing the
vessels or lives of American citizens
traversing the recently proclaimed
sea zones of war.
Germany was advised that the
United State would be constrained
to hold the imperial government to a
strict accountability" for any acts of
its naval authorities which might re-
suit in the destruction of American
vessels or the loss of American lives,
and that if such deplorable situa-
tion should arise" the American gov
ernment would take any steps that
might be necessary to safeguard
American lives and property
To Great Britain the United States
pointed out the measure of respon-
sibility,' which would seem to be
imposed on the British government
for the loss of American vessels and
lives in case of an attack by Ger
man naval force, if England sane
toned general misuse of the Ameri-
can flag, and thereby cast doubt upon
the valid character of neutral en-.
signs.
Revised by President.
The communications were to have
been presented today by Ambassador
Page, at London, and by Ambassador
Gerard, at Berlin. They were pre-
pared by Counsellor Robert Lansing
and revised by President Wilson and
Secretary Bryan, after consultation
with the entire cabinet.
The British. Spanish and Brazilian
ambassadors were given copies of the
notes. as were the ministers of Swed-
en-, Norway and Denmark. The doc
uments created a sensation among
diplomats generally because Of what
some regarded as their drastic i'm
plications.
High officials of the American gov,
ernment pointed out informally that
it. had been deemed advisable to
speak in unmistakable terms now
rather than to await the alarming
effect upon American public opinion,
which might ensue from the sinking
of a vessel with scores of American
citizens. The notes, officials were
confident, would prevent the critical
possibilities discussed in them.
warning to Germany.
Diplomats examined with great in
terest the language of the communl-
cations and some construed the note
to Germany as warning that the
loss of American lives by sinking
even a belligerent merchant ship
would be covered by the representa-
tions of the American government,
because of the insistenceN that all
merchant ships must be visited and
searched and passengers taken OF
before ships can be sunk
In discussing the notes today otfl-
cials pointed out that the represen-
tations to Great Britain were not
based specifically on the use by the
Lusitania of the American flag or
any other ship because it was not
a rare ruse of war to hoist neutral
flag when escaping capture, and YES
sells of both sides among the belllger-
ents in the present war already had
made such use of them as had Amerl-
can vessels in previous wars. The
distinction emphasized was that,
aside from the legal propriety, which
was reserved for future discussion,
general misuse of a neutral flag by
belligerent was a violation OF in
ternational comfy and neighborli-
ness, liable to produce serious dan
gers for the neutral.
To Avoid General Use.
No rule of international law exists
against the practice, officials added,
but the United States construes it as
a moral obligation upon belligerents
to avoid the general use of neutral
flags, particularly under such cir
cumstances as now exist.
AS for the communication with
Germany. officials said they were act
ing under specifically recognized
principles of international law in
pointing out the dangers to Ameri-
can citizens which would follow at
tacks on merchant vessels without
first ascertaining the validity OF the
emblem flown by the vessel. Al
though there was no explicit refer
ence in the notes to what woulf be
the attitude of the United Stays to-
ward the loss of American lives II
belligerent merchantmen were sunk,
it was made plain by officials that
neutrals travelling on belllgerent