The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-07
NEUTRAL VESSELS
HAVE HAD WARNING
iCoutinued from page l.

Continued from page IL
British government to restore the
lGerman individuals and property
seized in violation of international
law. In certain directions, they nave
also aided the British measures which
are irreconciliable with the freedom
of the sea In that they have obvious
ly, under the pressure of England.
hindered export and transport embar-
goes, the transit of wares for peace.
full purposes to Germany. The Ger
man government has in vain called
the attention Of neutral powers to the
fact that 1t must face the question OF
whether it can longer persevere' In It's
strict observance of the rules OF the
declaration of London. II Great
Britain is to continue its present
course and the neutral powers re to
continue to acquiesce in the viola
/ lions OF neutrality to the detriment
of Germany For her violations OF in
ternational law, Great Britain pleads
the vital interests which the British
empire has at stake and the neutral
! powers seem to satisfy themselves
with theoretical protests. Therefore IN
fact, they accept the vital interests
of the beligerents as sufficient ex
cuse for every method of warfare.
Germany must now appeal to these
same vital interests. To its regret, It
sees itself forced to military measures
aimed at England in retaliation
against the English procedure Just
as England has designated the area
between Scotland and Norway as an
area Of war. SO Germany now declares
all the waters surrounding Great
Britain and Ireland. including the en-
| tire English channel, as an area OF
war. We will thus proceed against
| the shipping OF the enemy for this pur'
pose, beginning February Is. 1915.
Germany will endeavor to destroy
every enemy's merchant ship that is
found in this area of war. without its
always being possible to avert the
peril that thus threatens person and
cargo. Neutrals are therefore warned
against further entrusting crews, pas
sengers and wares to such ships.
Their attention is called to the fact
that it is advisable for their ships to
avoid entering this area for even
though the German naval forces have
instructions to avoid violence to neu-
trail shipping insofar as they are rec
ogniZable, in view of the misuse OF
neutral flags, ordered by the British
government, and the contingencies of
naval warfare, their becoming victims
of torpedoes directed against the en-
emy's ships cannot always be averted.
eat the same time. 1t is specifically
noted that shipping north of the Shet-
land Islands, in the eastern area of
the North sea. and in e strip at least
thirty sea miles in width, along the
Netherlands coast, Is not imperilled.
The German government gives such
early notice of these measures, that
hostile as well as neutral ships. may
have time accordingly to adapt their
plans for landing at ports in this area
of war. We may expect that the neu-
trail powers will show no less consid-
Grafton for the vital interests of Ger
many than for those of England and
will aid in keeping their citizens and
| the property Of the latter from this
area. This is the more to be ex-
pected as it is to the interest Of the
neutral powers to see this destructive
war end as soon as possible.
VIII Make No Changes.
COPENHAGEN, Feb. 6.-The DAN
ish export commission, following a
long conference today, decided that it
saw no reason to discontinue exports
to England. 1t also announced that.
it would make no alteration OF the
fixed trade routes.
VIII Make Protests.
LONDON, Feb. 6.-The Exchange
Telegraph's Copenhagen correspond
ent wired here tonight:
81 am in position to state that the
American ambassador in Berlin to-
day informally notified the German
government that an official protest
will be made by the United States
against Germany's decree of blockade
against Great Britain.
1.-The Danish, Swedish and Nor
wegian governments are also making
representations.
Would Regret Trouble.
LBy Karl Fl. Won Wiegand. United
Press Staff Correspondent
BERLIN, Feb. 6.-fvia wireless)-I
Germany will regret IL her naval ac-
tivities bring about international COM
plications. This is frankly admitted
in official quarters tonight. But 1t is
pointed out that she is fighting with
her back to the wall and that she
cannot sacrifice her own population
to a within Of sentiment
Every official who is in a position
to understand the position OF German
military and naval authorities, in
sists that the blame for the present
situation is on Great Britafn's should
ers and not on Germany's.
The open defiant attitude OF Eng
land in refusing to permit ordinary
traffic with neutrals and the boasts OF
her sea lords that Germany is to be
starved out, demands that Germany
essay reprisals. And, while every eff
fort is being made and will be made
to respect neutral shipping, 1t is real
lied that the British position must be