Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-03-18

pIdi ltt OF SlnkluB BRUSH merchant
vessels by submarines and II ls evil
dent from their reply that thcN VIII
not abandon the use OF mines for Of
tcuSlVe purposes on the high seas as
ContraStcd with the use of mines for
defensive purposes only within cannon
range Of their own hurhors as sug
gestcd by the government OF the
United States This being so, it might
appear unnecessary for the British
government to make any further reply
than To take note OF the German an
Swer. We desire, however, 10 take
the opportunity of making a fuller
statement Of the whole position and
of our feeling with regard 10 It, We
recognize with sympathy the desire
of the government OF the United states
To see the European war conducted
in accordance with the previously rec
ognized rules of International law and
the dictates OF humanity. II Is thus
that the British forces have conducted
the war and we are not aware that
these forces can have laid To their
charge any improper proceedings. on
the German side il has been very diff
ferent.
Germany Criticized.
"1-The treatment of civilian iu-
habtants In Belgium and the north OF
France has been made public by the
Belgian and French governments ana
by those who have had experience of
it at first hand. Modern history at-
fords no precedent for the sutferlngS
that have been inflicted on the de
fenseless and uOn-COmbatant popula
ton in the territory that has been i'm
German military occupation. Even In"
food of the population was coutis-
Gated until in Belgium an international
commission largely influenced 10y
American generosity and conducted
under American auspices came to the
relief Of the population.
Eve have from time to time
received most terrible accounts of the
barbarous treatment to which British
officers and soldiers have been eN-
posed after they have been taken
prisoner while being conveyed to
German prison camps. Instances nave
already been given to the United
States government contrasting, we be
liece, most unfavorably with the treat
ment Of German prisoners in this
country. We have proposed with the
consent of the United States govern
ment THAI a commission of United
States officers should be permitted an
each country 10 inspect the treatment
OF prisoners ~ waT. IN" United
states government has been unable I"
obtain any reply from 9he German
government 90 This proposal
Laying Many Mines.
"'3-AH the very outset of th~ Mar
German mine iayer was discovered
iaying mine field on thc high seas.
FuVther mine fields have been laid
from time 10 time without warning
and :" far AS we ku"w aV" still being
lai6.
"'A-AS vari~us SimeS during the
war m" German Submarines nav"
stopped and sunk British merchant
vessels, thus making the sinking ~
merchant vessels u general practice
though ~ was admitted previously n
AZ all only as an exception IN" gen
eral rWi" 20 which the British GOV
ernment has adhred being that meg
chant vessels, If captured. must be-
VakeN before a prize court cas-"
Vs. now reported in which a German
armed cruiser mas SUNK an American
vessel. the william u. Frye. carving
cargo uf wheat from Seattle Z"
Queenstown II Is 10 he noted that
this and similar case occurred be
fore the detention By the I'ritIsh au-
thoritio4 of the WUhelmina and her
cargo Of foodStufts, which the Ger
man government all"ge IS ME justlli-
cation for their own action. The Ger
mans have announced their intention
Of sinking British merchant vessels ~
torpedo without previous notice and
without any provision for fh" safety
Of the crew.
They have already carried "ut This
intention in the ease ~ neutral Hs
wen as ~ British vessels and "A mum
bCr ~ nOn-combafant ana innocent
lives have been destroyed in This way.
-Unfortified, open and de-
fcnscless towns such as Scaborough
and Yarmouth and Whitby have been
bOmbarded by German ships or war.
'G-Gcrman aircraft have dropped
bombs on the east coast of England,
where there were no military or
strategic points 10 be attacked. ON
the other hand I am aware OF but
two criticisms that have been made
on British action ia all these re
spCCts
a, IL is tid that the British
naval authorities have laid some
anchored mines ON the high sease.
Thoy have done so but the mines
were anchored and 50 constructed
that they would be harmless If they
went adrift and no mines whatever
we're laid till many weeks after the
Germans had made a regular prac"
tice of laying mines on the high seas.
20 " Is said that the British gov
ernment have departed from the view
of International law which they had
previously maintained that foodstuffs
destined fOr the Civii population
should never be interfered with, this
charge being founded on the submis-
sion u prize court of the cargo ~
the Nilheimina. InasmuCh ~ IN"
stCppage of all tOOdstUffS il an ad-
mit,ed CONSEQUENCE Of blockade. II Is
obvious that there can be no uniVer-
sal rule based on considerations of
morality amt humanitS which is COM
trary ~ This practice md Sh" right
20 stou ioOlstufls uestineG for the
civil population must therefore ia any
case be admitted II an effective 'cor-
dom controlling intercourse with the
sHemy Is drawn. announced and
maintained Moreover Independents"
~ of yights arising from belligerent
action in The nature Of blockade some
other nations differing from IN.
opinion of the governments OF The
United states and Great Britain have
held that to stop the food of the civil
population Is :. natural and legitimate
method OF bringing pressure TO bear
on an enemy country as il is upon
the defense OF a heseiged town. It
IL also upheld on the authority Of
both Prince Bismarck and County
CaprH and therefore presumably Is
not repugnant TO German morality.
American Message
! a.. . a ka Aulnri . 80