Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-16
Kaiser's Government In
tends to Stick to Policy Of
Attacking Merchantmen.
Will, ALTER PLAN
IF ENGLAND DOES
Note Presented to state Department
Seems Clear Bid to Get United
States to [ Sc Pressure with Eng
land to Relieve blockade.

Washington. Feb 15.-Count Won
RcrnstoTff. the German amba ssador
department, declaring G'rmany's ia
tention to adhere to her announced
policy Of attacking merchant ships
Of Great Britain without search or
warning until England submits TO
the recognized rules OF warfare"
established by the declarations oil
Paris and London
Count Bernstorif, after presenting
The note, announced to the press
representatives that he is willing 20
make every word Of the note pubnc
Secretary Bryan was told what Count
Sernstorlf had said and was asked
il he bad any objection to making
the note public. He referred the
Lansing, who refused to make the
note public and refused to state
what it contained.
The German embassy tonight
issued a statement setting forth the
representations made in the note IT
is:
"According to absolutely reliable
information. British merchant shins
intend to oppose armed resistance to
German men of war in the are, de-
clared as a war zone by the German
admiralty. Some Of these ships were
already armed with British naval
guns. Now all the others are being
speedily equipped in similar way.
Merchant ships have been instructed
to sail in groups and ram German
submarines, while the examination is
proceeding or. should the snbma-
rines lie along side, to throw bombs
upon them or to- overpower the
boarding party
"A very high premium has been
offered for the destruction of the
first merchant vessel. Therefore
British merchant ships can not any
more be considered undefended, and
they may be attacked by German war
vessels without warning or search.
The British admitted the instructions
had been given to misuse neutral
flags. 1t is almost certain the Brit
ish merchant vessels will by all
means try to conceal their identity.
Thereby has it also become almost
impossible to ascertain the identity
| of neutral ships, unless they sail in
daylight under convoy, as all meas
ures suggested by nautrals, for in
stance, painting of the ships in the
national colors may be promptly imi-
tated by British ships.
"The attacks to be expected by
masked British merchant ships make
a search impossible, while the exam
lining party and the submarines
themselves would thereby be exposed
to destruction
"Under these circumstances the
safety of neutral shipping around the
British isles is seriously threatened.
| There is also an increased danger
from mines, as these will be laid in
the war zone to great extent. Ac-
cordingly, neutral ships are most
urgently warned against entering the
area, while the course around Scot
land will be safe.
| Germany has been compelled to
resort to this kind of warfare by the
murderous ways of naval warfare
which aims at the destruction of
legitimate neutral trade and also
|
Germany will be obliged to adhere to
the announced principles until Eng
land submits to the, recognized rules
of warfare, established by the decla-
rations of Paris and London. or until
she is compelled to do so by neu-
trail powers"
The German note produced a stir
lat the department. The action or
the ambassador plainly embarrassed
all the officials at the state depart-
ment. IL was officially stated to-
night that the only action taken by
this government was to transmit Am
bassador Won Bernstroff's note to the
British foreign office for Its informa-
ton.
Count Bernstroff made it plain at
the department today that his note
was not reply to the recent Amer
lean note to his government on the
subject of the misuses of neutral
flags.