The Washington times., 1915-02-12
WILSON'S STRONG STAND

In the matter of the use Of neu-
tral flags by ships of belligerents,
and Of the treatment of our own
ships flying our own flag, the United
States Government has addressed
itself to both the British and the
German governments in a manner
which must commend itself to all
Americans and challenge the respect
Of the world.
British merchantmen to avert at
tacks from German submarines have
been flying the Stars and Stripes.
There is no so-called international
law against such a thing. Nobody
maintains that there is. On the con-
trary, common sense and humanity
Immediately suggest that an un-
armed vessel is justified in any ruse
that may assist it to elude destruc-
ton and save the lives of non-com-
batants.
The German admiralty, knowing
of this use of neutral flags, has given
warning that it intends to ravage all
shipping of the allies within certain
waters; and that, because of the ma
ture of submarine warfare, this will
endanger all neutral ships within
those waters.
Now Germany has every right to
attack and destroy enemy vessels
wherever they may be found on the
waters of the earth.
But because submarine cannot
take innocent passengers and crews
off vessels of belligerent the Ger
man admiralty has declared that it
may find it necessary to destroy,
along with any ship, all the lives on
board. This would be a violation of
all international practice.
The proposal does vitality include
US, for it also carries the warning
that, since the American flag is be-
ing used by ships of the allies, any
American ship showing her own
Stars and Stripes in good faith may
be torpedoed because of the inability
of the submarine to distinguish
whether the ship is in fact a neu-
trails under her own colors or bel.
ligerent's under false colors.
Our Government gives straight.
out notice to the German govern.
ment that no American vessel prop.
erly flying her colors in the exercise
of her indisputable right can be tor
pedoed, deliberately or accidentally
without a strict accountability to
this nation. AS for the indisputable
rights of American vessels, this
means their full liberty to sail un.
molested the very waters delimited
in the proclamation of Admiral vor
Tirpitz.
Our Government repudiates point.
blank the claim that Germany, OF
any power, can close the high seas
against neutral shipping, either with
a paper blockade on the surface OF
the water or with an invisible block.
ade underneath.
Our Government asseverates thai
the lives of American citizens, ir
places where they have the right t.
be and doing what they are entitled
to do, cannot be taken without re-
dress by this nation.
Our Government announces in eff
feet that our merchantmen will 2,
where they have the right to go il
our ships of war have to take then
there.
Our Government emphasizes tina
the only act permissible against ,
neutral flag is that of search; tina
the search, not suspicion and CUES
work, must determine whether falls
colors are flying or true colors, ant
that then, when the neutrality ha
been established, the ship must b.
permitted to 60 her way unhamp
cred.
! AS for the use of our flag by bel
ligerents, the United States does no
forbid what cannot be prevented. l
does direct the attention of the Brit
ish government to the obvious fac
that our flag cannot be real pro
lection to belligerent vessel sine
she can be searched, and when he
true character has been thus dis
' closed she will be subjected to tn