The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-16
Germany's New War Zone Note.

Each new German note interpreting
and reinforcing the war zone" de
cree of the Admiralty is a new myS-
LITIGATION. The request to neutral
ships 10 pass round the north British
coasts Is repeated by the German Ann
basSador. and the reasons given for
this request are that English mer-
chantmen are arming to sink German
submarines with bombs and other
weapons, and that British ships are
going to use neutral flags 10 dash
through the area of war" So the
German Admiralty plans the sinking
of these warllke British merchantmen
on sight and without warning. and 1t
would be wise for neutral ships to 20
round to the far north lest they he
mistaken for British vessels and
blown apart and sunk by torpedoes.
As TO the display OF neutral flags by
British ships in the forbidden area. the
implication seems ia he that subma-
rines cannot he expected 20 Identify
neutral vessels and they must take the
consequences.
The straining after disclaimer OF re-
spOnsibility In advance Is conspicuous
in this new ote and therefore IL does
not ring true. one would think the
Irish Sea and the English Channel
were full Of neutral ships bound for
British, French. German. Dutch and
Scandinavian ports, which cannot be
the case. Sallings of ocean steamers
from New York from February 10 70
April g, the latest list published in the
shipping news, Is Illustrative. In
those tifty-one days there are four
steamers leaving for Copenhagen, four
for Rotterdam and one for Bergen. all
neutrals. and none, we believe, carry
ing the American flag. In the same
period there are only four steamers
under American registry leaving for
Liverpool and none for London. The
sallings of steamers that carry car
goes and no passengers are not avail
able, but II would doubtless be found
that there is even a smaller percentage
of them engaged In the Atlantic trade
and carrying neutral flags, and dis
tinctively American flags.
II would seem ~ follow that when
neutral ships ARE the exception and
not the rule in the Irish Sea and
English Channel there should he little
or no difficulty In distinguishing them,
I. .,,,a, la v,aptfAgt tnn fhut ~, man
tral ship Is going 10 try 10 sink n sub
marine, and that she will quickly stop
and heave to on signal. As 10 tn"
liners, nothing Is simpler than telling
the British from the neutrals, no mat
ter what flag is displayed. Every
German submarine captain ought 10
have the necessary description. In
her singular policy Of liability 10
make mistakes and sink the wrong
ship Germany has not n leg 10 stand
upon. Her naval officers are famous
for their careful training and keen
ness Of observation. They are not the
men to torpedo neutral ships under
the impression that the victims are
British or French.
A proposal in the German note pre-
srntcl by Ambassador voN BrRN-
sroRrF that seems unreal Ia 10 the Of
feet that Germnry Will modify the war
zone decree If England recognizes the
international law of the right Of food
importation for nOn-ConhatuntS. OF
Io,ursa os regards The Allies british
waters have been and viii continue
to be II war ouc Is the decree 10 he
modified for noutralS II the Allies will
permit Germany To import foodStunS?
War zone or no war zone. ncutralI
have a right to sail the seas about the
british coast n Germany Ind not
made the blundcr "a hlunder II there
was not method In the act) OF order.