New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-18
The German "War Zone" Order
Takes Effect.

To-day-February ls-msy come TO De one OF
the memorable dates in the chronology OF the
C,est War. II marks the initiation Of Germanys
ro,.l n,an 70 bring naval pressure on Great Brit
ain and 10 brighten off neutral shipping destined
for British ports Not having control Of the sea
and not being able to deal in accordance with the
established rules of international law with neutral
vessels suspected Of carrying contraban0' Ter
manv has called into service her submarines ana
sivsn notice that their commanders, lacking
leisure TO investigate in advance. may possibly
torpedo neutral merchantmen entering BRITISH ana
Irish waters.
This war zone" proclamation, with Its paid
suggestion that neutrals ought TO forego for Ger
manvs benefit the rights on the high seas Whch
thev now enjoy under international law and ought
virtually TO suspend their trade with unbiockaded
British ports. is an ominous development Of Ger
man military policy. 1t indicates growing des-
nerstion and recklessneSs Of temper. To obtain 2
seeming revenge on Great Britain (not having re
naval resources to obtain a real reyenge) Ger
MANY is willing to risk complications with the
United States. the Scandinavian kingdoms Hol-
and and Italy. which would soon make her posi-
ton as a belligerent impossible The more
enemies the more honor" is fine phrase with
which 70 embellish jingoistic harangue. To sober
craftsmanship it is the apotheosis Of folly.
Attempts are naturally being made to excuse
the war zone" proclamation on the ground that
IT is legitimate form of reprissl against Great
Britain and is based absolutely on Germanys Mill
tarv necessities. Admiral Behncke has given out
statement IN which he says that "snce the shut
ing off Of food supplies tby British treatment OF
food as conditional contrabandl had now come to
a point where Germany had no longer sufficient
food to feed her people, it became necessary 10
bring England 10 terms by the exercise Of force
But nobody else in authority in Germany has ever
admitted that there is not a sufficient supply Of
food 70 last through the war Before the Kaiser
declared war his General Staff was we'll aware
that foreign supplies Of food would soon be cut
off. and it has been the boast of all German publ
.cists that Germany and Austria-Hungary were
fully prepared 10 sustain themselves indefinitely
Now the stoppage of food importations il
charged TO Great Britain's naval policy and The
fact is ignored that by taking over all supplies O.
directly into Great Britain's hands and allowed
the latter 70 abolish the ordinary distinction be
tween food intended for the use Of the armed
forces Of a belligerent and food intended for thu
civilian population
Great Britain's action the question of fooC
contraband has the color of regularity. That &C
ton is also subject to revision in the British priz
courts and to diplomatic adjustment through arb
tration. II is not, so far as neutrals are con
cerned, blunt warning that their interests mus
be sacrificed to the exigencies Of British miltar!
policy But what Germany wants TO do is TO dodg'
the necessity Of observing the rules of interna
tional law. She gain her point only by run
ming amuck with her submarines. If neutral
stand on their rights and continue TO enter un
blockaded British ports the German proclamation
will become a mere scrap Of paper" To pu
teeth into the isolation and starvation policy tn
German submarines will have TO sink few neu
trail merchantmen. They are not able to conduc
prizes 10 German harbor.
So The Day" dawns at last, and new rhas
Of the Great War is entered upon. 1t is phas
which brings the war closer ZONE TO neutral ma
lions than ever before. They must now face Ger
tain risks on the high seas which neutral nation
have never faced before. But they will not b
intimidated into surrendering their rights. Wit
that certainty in view, the nation which risks mos
M the unprecedented naval operations now begin
ming is Germany.