The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Text of Communications to Great Britain and Ger many Made Public by
 State Department
IS BETTER TO SPEAK
 UNMISTAkABLY NOW
 THAN AWAIT ACTION
This Is the Attitude of High American Officials--Fear Effect Upon Pub lie Opinion Sinking of Mer- chant Ship With Ameri-
 cans Aboard

Washington. February l1.--Publicstion tonight by the state department of tho texts of notes sent yesterday to Great Britain and Germany respectively. re- vealed that both countries had been warned in most emphatic terms against menacing the vessels or lives of American citizens traversing the recently pro- claimed sea zones of war.
 Germany was advised that the United states would be constrained to hold the imperial government to strict account- ability for any acts of it's naval authori- ties which might result in the destruction Of American vessels or the loss of Ameri- can lives, and that If such a deplorable situation should arise' the American government would take any steps 1t might deem necessary to safeguard Amer- can lives and property"
 TO Great Britain the United States point out the measure of responsibility" which would seem to be imposed on the British government for the loss of American vessels and lives in case of an attack by a German naval force" if England sanctioned general misuse of the Ameri- car flag. and thereby cast doubt upon the valid character of neutral enslgns.
 Were Presented Today
 The communications were to have been presented today by Ambassador Page at London and by Ambassador Gerard at Berlin They were prepared by Counsel lor Robert Lansing and revised by presi- xtft consultation with the entire cabinet.
 The British, Spanish and Brazilian ann bassadors were given copies of the notes as were the ministees of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The documenes created a sensation among diplomats generally because of what some regarded as their di iastic implications
 High officials of the American govern nient pointed informally. 1t had been deemed advisable to speak in unmistak- able terms now rather than to await the alarming effect upon American public opinion, which might ensue from the sink ing of a vessel With scores of American citizens. The notes. officials were confi- dent, would prevent the critical possibli- ties discussed in them.
 Diplomats examined with great interest the language of the communications and some construed the note to Germany as a warning that the loss of American lives bv sinking even a belligerent merchant ship would be covered by the representa- tons of the American government be- cause of the insistence that all merchant ships must be visited and searched and pn nssengers taken off before ships can be sunk.
 Not Based on Specific Case
 In discussing the notes today, officials pointed out that the representations to Great Britain were not based specifically on the use by the Lusitauia of the Ameri- can flag or any other ship because 1t was not a rare ruse of war to hoist q neutral flag when escaping capture, and vessels of both sides among the bel ligerents in the present war already had made such use of them as had Ameri- can vessels in previous wars. The dis- tiI otion emphasized was that. aside from tho legal proprety, which was reserved for future discussion, general misuse of violation of International conity and neighborIiness. liable to produce serious dangers for the neutral. No rule of in- ternational law exists against the prae- tice officials added. but the United States construes 1t as moral obligation upon belligerents to avoid the general use Of neutral flags, particularly under such circumstances as now exist
 As for the communication with Ger many. officials said they were acting under specifically recognized principles Of international law in pointing out tho dangers to American citizens which would
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