New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-20

n
az base. a fortiori, his majesty's gov
eminent must be at liberty 20 Urea.
Hamburg. which Is in part protecteu
bv fortihca.ions at the mouth OF tne
Fibe. as a fortified town and base oil
and supply for the purposes
OF Article 80 of the Declaration Oh
London. A..
"If the owners of the cargo OF the
Wilhelmina desire 10 question inc
validity in international law OF the ac-
ton taken by order of his majesty
government they will have every OPP
portunity Of establishing their case IN
due course before the prize court, ana
his maiesty's government would IN TINS
connection recall the attention OF tne
United States government TO the con,
alterations put forward in Sir Edwsru
Crews note to Mr.. Page, OF the lOth
instant, as to the propriety OF await
ing the result of prize court proceed
ings before diplomatic action Is init
sted II will be remembered that they
have from the outset given definite
assurance that the owners OF the WI
helmina as we'll as the owners OF heI
cargo. IL found TO be contraband, Would
be equtsbly unidentified. l
Food Not Yet Absolute COntraband.
"There is one further observation 70
which his majesty's government thlhh
il right and appropriate IN the preS.n.
connection to give expression. iheS
have not SO far declared foodstuhs 10
he absolute contraband; they have not
interferred with any neutral vessels on
account of their carrying foodstuns' eA-
cent on basis of such foodstufs pelng
I;ahIe to capture il destined for enemy
forces or governments. In so acting
thew have been guided by the genera
nrinciple. of late universally uphelu Ny
civilized nations ard observed IN plae
tice. that the civil populations Oh couh-
tries at war are not to be exposed "
treatment rightly reserved TOT com,
batants This distinction has 10 al
intents and purposes been swept away
nv tho novel doctrines proclaimed anu
acted upon by the German govern
ment. ,u ,non
an ia unnecessary here to dwell upon
the treatment that has been meteu ous
10 the civil population OF Belgium anu
70 those parts of France which are IN
German occupation. When Germany,
long before any mines had been iala ny
the British authorities. proceeuea w
cow mines upon the high seas anu W
this means sunk consideraolc ~
her not only of British but also neutlaI
merchantmen with their unoHenolhs
crews. it was, so his majesty govern
r1ent hold, open to them 10 take re a.
iatory measures, even II such nheasu N. =
were of kind to involve pressure ois
the civil population-not' lhueeu, VI
neutral states, but OF tnelr ehe W.
Thev refrained from doing so. men
ch
fenceless British subjects, lnciuoing
women and children, were dellpeI ,smI
and systematically fired upon anu AIiieI u
By ships flying the flag OF the impei la
German navy, when quiet country
towns and villages, void Of defences
ard possessing no military or naval I'M
nortance. were bombsrded by German
airships, his majesty's government sun
abstained from drawing the logical
ccnseouences from this form OF attack
on defenceless citizens.
"Further steps in the same direction
ore now announced and, in TACT, nave
already been taken by Germany. BRIT
isb merchant vessels have been tor
pedoed at sight, without any attemp'
being made to give warning to the
crew or any opportunity being gwen
70 save their lives. A torpedo has been
fred against a British hospital snip
in daylight, and similar treatment IS
tbreatened to all British merchant
vnseels in the future, as we'll as to any
,outral ships that may happen TO be
found in the neighborhood OF the BTU
sh Isles. IL. IL
Faced with this situation his
maiestv's government CONSIDER II
would be altogether unreasonaDie ina
Great Britain and her allies should DC
expected 20 remain indefinitely oouha
TO their grave detriment, by rules ano
principles of which they recognize the
Justice if impartially observed as De
tween belligerents, but which are al
.he present moment openly set at de-
hance by their enemy. II, therefore
his maiesty's government should mere
after feel constrained to declare focd'
tufts absolute contraband, or take
otber measures for interfering with
German trade by way of reprisals, they
! confidently expect that such actIoI
will not be challenged on the part OF
neutral states by appeals TO laws ah0
ueapes of war whose validity rests vi
! their forming an integral part OF tna'
I system of international doclr,H'
which, as Wnole, tneli cHNi"'
! boasts the liberty and intention q
! disregard, so long as such neutra
ftates cannot compel the German gov
eminent to abandon methods OF war
| fare which have not in recent histor.
been regarded as having the Sanction
! Of either law or humanity
Berlin, Feb. 10 via wireless to Saw
Vile. y. Y0.-Amv G the items glver
out by the Oversee News Agency 70
night are the following:
The British reply to the American
note pretends that j.. Germany there
is no difference between food for civil
ians and the military. The German gov
ernment has even declared itself read
TO accept a distribution OF imported
grain to civilians by American dele
gates. Thus, the facts being incorreEt
Sir Edward Grey's conclusion Is equal.
incorrect, and, according to the law o.
nations, grain and -four are not con
traband of war, although regularl!
seized by the British, disregarding th'
precepts of civilized warfare.
~<vNyYyTYC