The Washington herald., 1915-02-10
grave ISSUE IN
SEEING Of ship
Yelled German Threat Is d.
rected at u. S. as Result of
Wilhelmina Affair.
DIFFICULT TANGLE SEEN
Teutons Hint United States Will Suffer
if England Is Allowed to
Take Steamer.
DIFFICULT TANGLE SEEN

The seizure of the WiIhelmina by the
British sea patrols because she is carry
ing a cargo of foodstuffs consigned to
Germany, is expected to raise one of the
most serious and difficult issues OF the
war, so far as the United States Is
affected
The British announced in advance their
intention TO seize the Wilhelmina, which
flies the American flag, because of its
view that the recent decree OF the Ger
man government providing for govern
ment control for all food supplies in Ger
many puts into the hands of the German
government all subsequent importation Of
food into that country. 1t is a reCOS-
nized principle that conditional contra
band. such as foodstuffs, become liable
to capture by the enemy when consigned
to the armed forces OF the enemey or to
any department Of his government. The
British hold that the German decree
makes it necessary to regard all car
goes Of food destined for Germany as
consigned to the German government
and therefore liable to seizure.
Germany Assures United states.
To offset this view, the German gov
ernment has assured the United States
that its food decree will not apply to i'm
portatiOns from this or other countries.
1t has even offered to have the sale and
distribution Of the cargo Of the Wilhel-
nina or other food vessels supervised by
an American consular officer, as a guar
antee that such cargo will not reach the
armed forces Of Germany, but will be
consumed entirely by the civil POpula-
tiOn.
The owners Of the Wilhelmina's cargo
have been promised compensation for
"a htyT Britain h1It II l.
derstoOd that they are more anxious TO
maintain their right to ship to Germany
than 10 make a profit on this single
transaction. Consequently, 1t is expected
they will appeal to the United States
government against the action Of the
British. so that eventually this govern
men; will be compelled to take a position
in the case.
The matter is complicated by the Ger
man threat that it will seize American
vessels carrying food to the civil pOpu-
lation of England if Great Britain seizes
the Wilhelmina. In other words, there
is an implied threat upon the part Of
Germany that il this government ac-
qUiesccs in the British action respecting
the Wilhelmina, the United States will
pay by losing some or all of its trade
in provisions with Great Britain.
Though the State Deparement has re-
Trained from taking any position in this
case until it became necessary to do so,
it may decide that the German guaran-
tees should be accepted by Great Britain
as adequate and that under such guaran-
tees as have been offered the British
should let tho Wilhelmina and other YES
sells with similar cargoes go through to
German ports. 1t is doubted, however,
if Great Britain will accept these guar
antees. and thus the issue will be sharply
drawn. The opinion prevails here that
the British are more than ever deter
mined to persist in their attempt to
"starve OUT Germany, believing that
the fruits of this policy are now about
to be gathered.