The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-17

not justify; and that it therefore re-
CARDS itself as free, in the present in
stance, TO take with clear conscience
and upon accepted principles the pO-
sition indicated in this note.
IF the commanders of German
vessels Of war should act upon the
that the flag Of the
United states was not being used in
good faith and should destroy on the
high seas an American vessel or the
lives OF American citizens it would
be difficult for the government Of the
United States to view the act in any
other light than as an indefensible
would We very hard indeed to recon-
cile with the friendly relations now
SO happily existing between the two
governments.
If such a deplorable situation
should arise the imperial German
government can rea lilly appreciate
that the government Of the United
States would be constrained to hold
the imperial German government to
a strict accountability for such acts
of their naval authorities and to take
any steps it might be necessary to
take to safeguard American lives and
property and to secure to American
citizens the full enjoyment Of their
acknowledged rights on the high
seas.
THE government Of the United
States, in view OF these considerations,
which it urges with the greatest re-
spect and with the sincere purpose Of
making sure that no misunderstand-
ing may arise and no circumstance
occur that might even cloud the in
tercourse of the two governments, ex-
presses the confidence and expecta-
ton that the imperial German gov
ernment can and will give assurance
that American citizens and their ves-
sells will not be molested by the naval
forces of Germany otherwise than by
visit and search, though their vessels
may be traversing the sea area de-
limited in the proclamation of the
admiralty.
&c 1T is added for the information Of
the imperial government that repre-
sentations have been made to his Bri-
fannie majesty's government in re-
spect to the unwarranted use Of the
American flag for the protection of
British ships."
February 10, 1915. .
1.-The secretary Of state has instruct
ed Ambassador Page at London to
present to the British government a
note to the following effect:
The department has been advised
OF the declaration of the German ada
miralty on February indicating that
the British government had on jan
uary 81 explicitly authorized the use
of neutral flags on British merchant
vessels presumably for the purpose Of
avoiding recognition by German naval
forces The departments attention
also has been directed to reports in the
press that the captain Of the Lust.
tania, acting upon orders or informa-
tion received from the British ad-
miralty, used the American flag in
approach to the British coast in or
der to avoid anticipated attack by
German submarines. Today's press
reports also contain an alleged official
statement Of the foreign office defend
ing the use of the flag Of q neutral
country by belligerent vessel in or
der to escape capture or attack by an
enemy.
Assuming that the foregoing re-
ports are true, the government of the
United States, reserving for future
consideration the legality and pro-
priety of the deceptive use of the flag
OF a neutral power in any case for the
purpose of avoiding capture, desires
very respectfully to point out to his
Britannia majesty's government the
serious consequences which may re-
suit to American vessels aAld Ameri-
can citizens if this practice is con-
tinued.
The occasional use of the flag of
a neutral or an enemy under the
stress of immediate pursuit and to de-
ceive an approaching enemy, which
appears by the press reports to be rep
resented as the precedent and justif-
cation used to support this action,
seems to this government a very diff
ferent thing from an explicit sane
ton by a belligerent government for
its merchant ships generally to fly the
ilag Of a neutral power within GER