Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-03-03
ALLIED FORCES STRIKE HARD
In Retaliation for Germany's Subma-
rine Warfare on Shipping.

tallalOry measures against Germany
was set forth in a formal statement
which Premier AsQuith read to-day
in the House of Commons. The Pre-
mier prefaced the reading with these
words
The statement declares in sufi-
ciently plain and unmistakable terms
the view we take, not only Of our
rights, but Of our duties"
Premier Asquith's Statement.
The statement is as follows:
Germany has declared that the
English Channel, the north and west
coasts of France and the waters
around the British !S.c5 are il war
area, and has officially notified that
all enemy ships found III that area
will be destroyed and that neutral
vessels may be exposed to danger.
This is, in effect, a claim to torpado
at sight, without regard to the safety
OF the crew or passengers, any mer-
chant vessel under any flag. AS it
is not in the power of the German
admiralty to maintain any surface
craft i'll these waters, his attack can
only be delivered by submarine
agency.
THE law and customs of nations
in regard to attacks on commerce
have always presumed that the first
duty Of the captor Of merchant YES
sci is to bring it before a prize court.
where it may be tried, and where
neutrals may recover their cargoes.
The sinking of prizes is in itself a
questionable act, to be resorted to
only in extraordinary circumstances,
and after provision has been made
for the safety of all the crew and
passengers. If there are passengers
on board the responsibility OF dis
eliminating between neutral and en-
emy vessels, and between neutral
and enemy cargoes, obviously rests
with the attacking ship, whose duty
it is to verify the status and char
acter OF the vessel and cargo and to
preserve all papers before sinking
the humane duty Of providing for the
safety of the crews Of merchant YES
sells, whether neutral or enemy, an
obligation on. every belligerent
Submarine Outside All Laws.
Ut is upon this basis that all pre-
vioTs discussions Of the law for regu-
lating warfare at sea have proceed
ed. A German submarine, however,
fulh!s none OF these obligations she
enjoys no local command of the wa
ters in which she operates; she does
not take her captures within the
Jurlsdlctlon Of prize court; she
carrles no prize crew, which can be
put on board a prize; she uses NO
effective means of discriminating be-
tween neutral and an enemy YES
sci; she does not receive on board
Tor safety the crew and passengers
OF the vessel she sinks. Her meth
DDS of warfare are, therefore. en-
urely outside of the scope of any in
ternational Instruments regulating
of war. The German declaration
substitutes indiscriminate destruc-
tion for regulated capture. Germany
is adopting those methods against
peaceful traders and the non-com-
Blatant crews, with the avowed OBJ
lect of preventing commodities OF all
kinds, including food for the civilian
population, from reaching or leaving
the British Isles or Northern France.
Her opponents are, therefore,
driven to frame retaliatory measures
in order, in their turn, to prevent
commodities of any kind from reach
ing or leaving Germany.
These measures will, however, be
enforced by the British and French
governments without risk to neutral
ships or to neutral or non-combatant
life, and in strict observance OF the
dictates Of humanity. The British
and French governments will, there
fore, hold themselves free to detain
and take into port ships carrying
goods Of presumed enemy destina-
ton, ownership or origin. 1t is not
intended to cOnfiscate such vessels or
cargoes unless they would otherwise
be liable to condemnation. The
treatment of vessels which sailed be-
fore this date will not be affected.
THAT is our reply"
The reading Of the statement was
Interrupted frequently with loud
cheers