El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-18
nations DEFINE
ZONE Of SEIZURE
Allies Will Confine Activ-
tiles to European Wa
tiers, Notes Show.

Washington. D. c.. March 1S---lu
making public all diplomatic CORE
spondence Of the past few weeks be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain. France and Germany relative
to blockadcs and shipments Of con-
trabaud and foodstuns, the United
States reveals that the allies have
agreed to limit their zones Of activity
to European waters. including the
Mediterranean sea.
England Rejected Proposal.
While Germany agreed, il IS dis
closed, to abandon her submarine at
lacks on mercantile ships of any haS
except when they resist visit or search.
provided fOOdstuffs We're permitted 20
reach her civilian population. Great
Britain and her allies rejected the
urOuOsal. originally made by the United
States government in an effort to bring
the belligerents into an arrangement
" hich would safeguard the interests Of
neutrals-
Furthermore, the documents show
show that in a message Of inquiry 10
Great Britain and France. the United
States asked whether the embargo on
all commerce between Germany and
neutral countries was to be carried out
under the rules Of a blockade or 10y
Interference with the ships and car
goes, 'as II no blockade existed The
the American government. "a proposed
course Of action previously unknown
to international law"
Allies Propose Quasi Blockade
The answers from Great Britain and
France reveal for the first time that
the allies officially regard their posi-
ton as a blockade" but desire to re-
frain from exercising the rights OF bel
liEerents under a blockade 10 conhscate
ships and cargOes as a penalty for
HraaoH oF blockade substituting for il
procedure in prize courts and compen-
sation through sale Of the detained
merchandise.
The definition OF a radius Of activ-
ity" for the allied fleet in European
waters including the Mediterranean,
is the first intimation Of the geOgraphi-
cal limits OF the blockade Its limits
were not given more exactly, the al
lies claim. because Germany was
equally indefinite in IrOclaiming all the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireland a war zone
L. :. Points out Difficulty.
The restriction Of the area Of opera
tiOns OF the blockade TO European
waters followed this observation by
United States to both Great Britain
and France:
While this government is fully alive
to the possibilities Of modern naval
warfare, particularly in the use Of sub
marines FOR both defensive and Of
fensiVe operations. may make the for
mer means or maintaining a blockade
a physical impOssibility, IL feels that
it can be urged with great force that
there should be also some limit 10 IA
dius of activity and especially so II
this action by the helli gereuts can be
construed 10 be a blockade It would
cerua inly create a serious state Of af-
fairs if. for example. an Are ican yes
sci laden with a cargo of German orr
gin should escape the British patrol in
European waters only 10 be held up by
cruiser of New York and taken into
HalifaL-
VIII q. :. Aequiesee.
The publication Of the 'correspon-
dence cleans the slate OF diplomatic
negotiations and leaves the govern
meut confronted with the question OF
whether OF not il viii acquiesce in the
form OF blockade BY the allies or make
protest President Wilson himself has
indicated that a strong protest Will be
made and officials are already gather
ing material for it.
The notes record the failure OF the
United States to bring the belligerents
into an agreement on the use Of sub
marines and mines, the fixing OF a def
mite rule governing shipments OF con-
diuOnal c0urrahand TO the civilian Top
ulation OF a belligereut and the aban-
donmeut OF neutral flags as a rusC OF
war.
officials Are Puzzled.
Officials admitted being somewhat
ID -AAeaAsA N.h3A AAA1 ID AA-s7AA A1a-eAAIAA VI
the proposals made by the United
States in this connection. They OBJ
served a statement in the British
reply TO the American note which is not
borne out by comparison with the Ger
man note
The British reply refusing to enter
into the agreement saws in reference
TO the American communication;
The reply OF the German govern
ment TO this note has been published
and il is not understood from the reply
that the German government is pre-
ing British merchant vessels by sub
marines"
What Germany said officially was az
follows
The German government would IN
dertal1e not to use their submarines TO
attack mercantile Of any flag except :
when necessary to enforce the right OF