New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-19
BRITISH DECRY
BARALONG CLAIM
LuSitania and LOuvain
Their Answer to HUI
mainly Plea.
REFUSAL OF PROBE:
PROOF OF GUILT
Germans Know Cases Would Go
Against Them, Says Official
Statement.


London. Jan. lS-The British onicIs
view or the German note regarding the
Baralong case was given out tonight
rs follows:
"The Germans claim that their army
aad navy have observed during the
present war the principles Of interim
'ional law and humanity and that the
German authorities take care that all
violations will be carefully investigated
and punished.
Some surprise is expressed that the
nation whose armed forces have been
responsible for the sack OF Louvain.
the murder Of hundreds Of unofending
men, women and children on the Lusi-
tsnia and other ships, the execution
Of Edith Cavell. the introduction OF poi
sonous gases, the poisoning Of wells.
attempted torpedoing Of hospital ships
and countless other atrocities should
describe their method. OF warfare as
humane.
at is further pointed out that 1t
would be interesting to know how many
German subjects, if any, have been pun
ishcd for these atrocities. The Ger
mans claim that the Arabic was tor
pedoed because the commander OF the
submarine had the conviction that the
Arabic was about to ram the subma-
rine. The true facts are that the
Arabic was deliberately sunk by Ger
man submarine without warning, and
tina; she neither attempted to attack
the submarine nor escape from II.
Denies Duel With Els.
with regard 10 the destruction OF
the British submarine E-l3 in Danish
waters by German torpedo boat de
stroyor. Il 10 claimed that 1t came 20 d
fight between the war vessels and that
the submarine defended itself with
gunfre. The true facts are as follows:
The Germans found the submarine
stranded in neutral waters and incspa-
BILE of either offence or defence. The
AlFi lli1lA NNsAAOs hAtN wi H'hN a.
the E-13. The torpedo exploded close
70 her. Al the same moment the Ger
man destroyer fired with all her guns.
and the commander of the Els. whose
submarine was ahre fore and aft and
who was unable 70 defend himself. ow-
ing 20 being aground, gave orders 10
The crew 10 abandon her. While the
men we're m the water they were fred
on By machine guns and with shrapnel.
"The Germans defend their action IN
the case Of the Ruel on the ground that
II was q measure Of reprssl IN accord
snce with measures announced by the
German government in February, 1915.
II is claimed that these reprisals are
legitimate owing TO the action Of Great
Britain IN attempting TO cut OF from
Germany all imports and starve the
German people. The Germans thus
maintain their submarine policy in CON
sequence Of the British measures
against German trade.
Falsity Of German Claim.
This is. of course, quite untrue. the
exact opposite being the case. As far
back as December, 1914. Admiral Won
Tirpitz foreshadoWed the submarine
blockade of Great Britain, and subms-
rine attacks were made on 4 merchant
ship and hospital ship on January 30
and February /. respectively. More
over, as far back as September. 1914.
Il Dutch ship, with a cargo Of grain for
Dublin and Belfast, was sunk by the
karlsruhe, and the American ship ".
p. Frye similarly was sunk on Janu
AIRY %.
Further. on February /. the German
government declared their intention OF
instituting a general submarine block
ade Of Great Britain and ireland with
the avowed purpose of cutting off all
supplies from these islands, and this
blockade was put into effect on Febru
airy IS.
British government put into force, as
means of reprisals. measures against
German trade. which the German gov
eminent now try TO maintain were the
cause of their submarine policy.
Death Roll Answers Won Tirpitz.
THE Germans maintain that in the
c~es Of the Arabic, the E-l3 and the
Ruel they were only aiming at the de-
struction Of hostile ships, and in no
wise the destruction of helpless per
sons. The death roll of the Arabic,
the Smelling Of British sailors az they
we're SWlUlm lnR ashore dIttf dbhuuOh-
ing the E-13, and the firing on the
crew of the Ruel who were attempting
10 save themselves in the boats suffl-
GENTLY answer this claim.
with regard 20 the German refusal
TO submit the Baralong case and the
three cases put forward by the Brit
ish government for investigation by an
impartial neutral tribunal, this action
seems hard TO explain If the Germans
are really 80 convinced as they say OF
the guilt OF the British commander
and the innocence Of The perpetrators
Of the three outrages cited by the Brit
ish government.
80 far az Great Britain is con-
cerned. it is entirely untrue to state
that the British government have left
untitled a just demand for investiga-
ton. They have proposed il, and II is
the Germans who have rejected it,
doubtless because they know full we'll
that the CAGES in which they are de
PENDANTS would be decided against
them by any impartial tribunal"
british SEIZE FOOD CARGO