The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-02-27
Washington Finds It Similar
TO That of British.
NO SERIOUS PROTEST LIKELY
Memorandum From Berlin Received
From Gerard Evidently Will Stop
Hasty Action-DecIared Germany Ha:
Executed Clever Move by Taking
Leaf Out of English Book.


The long memorandum delivered by
the German foreign Office to Ambas
sador Gerard, explaining the German
war zone proclamation. has been re-
ceived at the state department, and
perusal of its text, which was cabled
to American newspapers, convinced
washington officials that at present no
serious issue could be raised with Ger
many over the creation of the project
ed war zone without at the sanre time
raising identically the same issue with
Great Britain.
The German memorandum trans
mitted by Ambassador Gerard empha-
sizes the fact-a vitally important one
in the present situation-that Great
Britain has declared the entire North
sea to be war area and that II
England has not made impossible the
passage of neutral shipping through
the sea between Scotland and Norway
she has rendered it $50 diff ut and so
dangerous that she has to certain
extent effected blockade of neutral
coasts and neutral ports. in violation
of all international laws"
The fact that the British govern
ment has done identically the same
thing with respect to the establish
ment of war zones in the open seas
beyond the three mile territorial limit
has been officially certified to the state
Cnnil CnrifOC- Rinn
the British ambassador. This was
done three months ago. and no protest
has ever been made by the United
States against the action Of Great Brit
ain I'm establishing such war zone.
Trump Card For Germany.
It dawned upon officials in Washing
ton that the German government had
executed q rather neat and clever
counter diplomatic stroke In notifying
the world Of it's intention to create
war zone around the British isles by
taking a leaf out Of the British book
and doing the very thing that the Brit
ish government had done. The British
and German war zone orders as ON
cially communicated to the state de-
partment have been compared and
closely studied. This comparison was
not found to be to the disadvantage Of
the Germans. 1t was even suggested
that the German government had
played a trump card.
The situation resolves itself some
thing after this fashion: For England
the official date of the beginning Of the
war was Aug. 4. England waited until
three months of the war had been
fought and then served notice on the
neutral powers Of the world of her In
tention to establish war zone. Inc
British war zone was set up on Nov. D.
The Germans waited an additional
three months, twice as long as did
Great Britain. or until Feb. 4, exactly
six months from the official British be-
ginning of the war. and then an
nounced its decision to establish war
zone very similar to that OF Great
Britain, although somewhat more ex-
tensive However, the principle In
volved with respect to both war zones
Is the same.
War Zones Compared.
A comparison of the British and Ger
man war zone orders disclosed these
striking facts:
First-The British government on Nov.
4 notified the United States government
that its war zone would be effective from
Nov. some days notice.
Second.-The German government issued
it's war zone proclamation on Feb. and
communicated it to Ambassador Gerard
on the same day, announcing that the
German war zone around the British isles
would be effective after Feb. 1S-ffteen
days notice.
Third.-The British war zone covers the
whole of the North sea.
Fourth.-The German war zone covers
the entire English channel and all the ter
ritorial and high sea waters around the
British isles.
Fifth. - The British war zone order
sought to close the north Of Scotland
route around the British isles to Norway,
the Baltic, Denmark and Holland.
SiXth.-The German war zone seeks to
close the southern or English channel
route around the British isles to Holland,
Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Bal
tic
Seventh-The British war zone decree
drew an arbitrary line from the Hebrides
islands along the Scottish coast to Ice
land and warned neutral shipping that it
would cross this line at its risk. but that
ships Of neutral nations might go to Hol-
land and other neutral nations along the
eastern littoral of the North sea by taking
the English channel and strait OF Dover
route.
Eighth.-The German war zone declares
that neutral vessels will be exposed to
danger in the English channel. but routes
OF navigation around the north OF Scot
land islands in the eastern part OF the
North sea and in a strip thirty miles wide
along the Dutch coast are not open to the
danger zone.
Ninth.-The Germans make the southern
channel route dangerous and declare the
north of Scotland route safe, while the
British declare the north Of Scotland
route dangerous and the English channel
route safe, the effect OF this being that
neither the northern nor the southern
es around England will be safe for
neutral vessels
IT.