Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-02
GERMANY BACK OF
PROTEST Of BRITAIN
EVIDENCE At HAND THAT Will
SON PLEAD IN BEHALF
OF KAISER.
AMBASSADOR RERNsToRFF
FREQUENTLY CONSULTED
Striking Chain Of Circumstances indi-
cate. Germany Has No Fault to Find
With Attitude Of United States Gov
ernment-United States Not Entirely
consistent-Has Seized Many Ships.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, jan. 2.-hoW mucu u
a finger has German diplomacy in the
interesting if not acute situation Gre
Gated by the American protest to Great
Britain against interference with
American commerce, the details OF
which were made public recent
ly? This question has been raised in
important circles here and is under
going quiet but earnest discussion.
German writer's have complained bit
terly of what they declare to- be the
hostile attitude of Americans toward
the part played by Germany in the
European war but it is suggested here
that in view of rather striking chain
Of circumstances, little fault can be
found by Germans with the attitude OF
the administration toward their coun-
try and their people.
This chain. which is a stout rather
than a long one, begins with the ship
purchase bill. a measure with when
President Wilson astonished the coun-
try only a short time after the out
break OF war and which apparently
had no spoASor except himself. Elk
pensive German ships worth millions OF
dollars and costing hundreds Of thou
sands 10 TTiaifitai:: II :GiSfiGSS we're t1ed
up in American and other ports. rem
dered useless by the ubiquitous guns OF
the British navy. These ships were
for sale and the administration never
has taken pains to contradict the gem
orally accepted belief that the main
purpose of the ship purchase bill was
to create an American merchant ma
rine by taking these vessels off the
hands Of Germany.
/. Germany Benefited.
The war was still young, also. when
an order absolutely unprecedented IN
the history of modern warfare was is
sued by the treasury department, to
The effect that ship manifests should
no, be made public for thirty days
after sale The only effect OF this or
der. Of course. was to keep every one
bu, the owners and the consignees In
Ignorance as 10 the character of the
careoes carried. 1t so happened. more
over that with the German navy
bottled up at kiel and with British
cruisers forming q line across the At
antic, the only commerce that STOOD IN
danger of interference by the naval
vessels of a beiligerent was that OF
Germany Commerce with the coun-
ana open and neither selling nor buy
Ing interests could De injured by pub
;!e knowledge of the character of goods
sent ;c u,rts of the allies by American
merchants and manufacturers. II was,
however az vital importance to Ger
many tina. goods intended fer German
use, which Great Britain might have
declared coniraband or conditional
49, -, no from
the United States secretly BY issuing
an order making manifests secret
documents, The treasury department as
far as lay in its power withheld from
the vessels Of the allies all knowledge
that contra band goods We're being sent
to Germany from the United States
Bryan Consults Bernstorff.
/ In the preparation of the American
note of protest cabled to Ambassador
Page a day or two ago, a chief con-
sutant of the secretary of state was
4 the German ambassador. Count Johann
Won Bernstorff This astute diplomat
has served his government ably in this
| country. whether in peace or in war,
| but apparently he arose to the full pos
sibility of usefulness in assisting the
United States to shoot bolt at Great
Britain, for the careful and well in
! formed newspaper announcement OF
the sending Of the protest conveys also
! The Information that the document
embodies the arguments of Germany.
4 The note follows in many important
points the arguments advanced by
! Germany that British practice with re-
/ gard to neutral commerce was a dis
tinct departure from many previously
! accepted principles of international
|. law" This is the statement made with
respect to the German attitude.
! Uncle Sam at Times overzeaious.
1t may be said that in time Of wal
even the United States has been
! known to be overzeaious in its pur-
suit Of contraband and to have paid
). only belated respect to the mandates
! of international law and to the three-
mile limit. For example. the confed-
crate commerce destroyer Florida was
I followed into Brazilian waters at Bahia
during the civil war and there de-
!, stroyed This action was taken arbi-
: trarily and the United States govern
Lment was delighted that it accom-
plished it's purpose. Later nava
vessel was sent to Brazil. profound
apology was rendered by this govern
ment and the Brazilian flag was sol.
EMMY saluted.
State Department ineffieieney
The inefficiency of the state depart
q ment in dealing with annoyances t,