Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1915-02-17
ANNOUNCE READINESS TO RE.
cEDE5 If ENGLAND WILL Al.
Low IMPORTATION OF
FOOD TO GERMANY,
CHURCHILL INTIMATES
ALLIES WILL STOP SHIPS
British Merchant Vessels Are Being
Armed and Would Try to Sink
Submarines, According to Infor-
nation Reaching Berlin
Held to Be Warships.

London, Feb. 16.ln statement to
the house of commons, Winston Spen-
Ger Churchill, first lord Of the admir-
atty, intimated that further action
Would be taken by the allies to pre-
vent the Importation Of foodstuffs in
neutral ships to Germany.
Washington, Feb. 16. Count Johann
Won Bernstorff, the German ambassa-
dor, has presented to the state de-
partment a note from his government
announcing that Germany stands
ready to consider receding from it's
announced intention of attacking Brit
ish merchantmen il Great Britain will
withdraw it's efforts to prevent food
stuffs from going to Germany for the
civilian population.
The note declares that Germany's
plan to attack British merchantmen
was a retaliatory measure adopted be-
cause of the alleged violation of inter-
national law by Great Britain in try
ing to starve the noncombatant popu-
latiOn of Germany, and that the lat
ter government is ready to withdraw
from it's purpose as expressed in the
naval war zone decree as far AS it ap.
plies to merchant vessels, as soon as
Great Britain, either of its own volt
ton, or as a result of representation
from the neutrals, expresses it's own
willingness to return to the usual
practices of International law on the
question Of foodstuffs.
Claims British Ships Armed.
The German note adds that the Der.
lin government has information that
English merchant vessels are being
armed and have orders to sail in
groups for protection and further that
they would try to sink submarines.
It declared that there was now no
question Of searching them,sbut the re-.
suit would be that German ships
would fight them because they are
now held to be warships.
The note declares further that Great
Britain, according to the information
of Germany, intended to use neutral
flags and that therefore neutral ship.
ping would be In danger in the war
zone. It was urged, therefore, that
meanwhile neutral shipping observe
til request of Germany and go around
the north Of Scotland in the course
of which had been declared outside
the war zone
Not a Reply to Y. s. Note.
It was stated that the note received
by the ambassador from his foreign
office and carried by him personally
to the state department was not a re-
ply to the recent American note to
Germany in regard to the war zone
decree. "A more comprehe nsive and
detailed reply to that communication
is expected soon, although it was not
known officially here when it might
Z be looked for. sss 5ss
The note from Germany, is was
pointed out, constitutes sort OF In.
termediary reply possibly presented
to this government because of the
fact that the date when the war zone
I decree goes into effect, Feb. 18, is 80
close at hand.
America is playing what state de.
partment officials call humanitari.
an role toward Great Britain and Ger
many, in efforts to straighten out the
food shipments tangle arising from
Germans vow Of vengeance on Eng.
land and incidental threat that sAmeri.
can commerce would become invol
we'd. +. &,
II the United States does take q
hand, 1t will be on the ground that
British detention of American food
cargoes, Germany bound lays Ameri.
can shipping open to German sub,
marine peril. But behind this, officials
limited, will be the humanitarian idea
Of saving both Britain and Germany
from Themselves.
Russians Meet Disaster.
Berlin, by wireless to London, Feb.
16. The following announcement was