Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-02
u. 5. 70 PUNISH
kLUS[ OF FLAG
eELLlcERENr MERCHANTMEN
WHO Ply AM!Ea ! EMBLEM !
FACING FORMULATION.
RESORT TO lrs USE
70 ESCAPE SUBMARINES
Prscsdsne . es Upset by New Atti-
tuds OF. United States Reversal Of
Policy Outlined to Great Britain and
Aetiensef Governments in Previous
Controversial.

! ! f.
Controversies.
John Callan OI.aughlin in Chicago
Herald.1
washington. Feb. ALI belligerent
merchant ships should fly the Ameri-
can nag to escape a German sub.
marine. action against them will be
taken by the federal government when
they subsequently visit an American
port Thir decision. which has been
reached by the administration, has be-
come known in congressional circles
and has become subject of sharp
controversy.
The practice OF the United States
has permitted the use Of the flag of an
other nation for deceptive purposes.
During the civil war this frequently
was done by union vessels.
The regulations for the government
Of the navy specially permit such
conduct even by warships, though the
latter before entering into action must
substitute the American flag for that
flown to deceive.
Wilson's Protest to Britain.
It will be recalled that Feb. 10, 1915.
when President Wilson protested
against the German war zone" about
the British Isles, he at the same time
sent Great Britain a communication
objecting to the raising of the Ameri-
can flag by the Lusitania, which was
subsequently, destroyed by a German
,marine.
its communication TO London the
state department stated it would
view with anxious solicitude any gen.
erai use Of the flag of the United
States by British vessels traversing
the waters included in the German
zone" The note further said that
"the occasional i,se Of the flag Of
neutral or an enemy under the stress
of immediate pursuit and to deceive
an approaching enemy, which appears
by the press reports to be represented
as the precedent and justification
used to support this action. seems to
this government q different thing from
an explicit sanction by belligerent
government Tor its merchant ships to
generally ny the flag of neutral
power within certain portions OF the
high seas which are presumed to be
The inference from the statements
conditions q merchant vessel was JUS
titled In flying neutral flag.
U. g Did Il, eritain's Reply!
In its response to the American
complaint the British government
stated:
The British merchant shipping act
Il = 4nlA ha
British flag by foreign vessels is per-
mitted in time of war for the purpose
Of escaping capture. 1t is believed
that in the case Of some other nations
there is similar recognition of the
same practice with regard to their
flags and that none have forbidden
#. =
Great Britain has always, when
neutral, accorded to the vessels Of
other states at war liberty to use
British hags as means of protection
against capture, and instances are on
record when United States vessels
avail themselves Of this facility during
the American civil war"
Flags Misuse Rousss Germany.
Germany has repeatedly justified
her submarine practice by reference to
the misuse Of the neutral flag ordered
by the British government" and has
explained that this procedure is re-
sponsible for the dangers which neu-
trail vessels run In the zone of mari
time operations. According to state
ments made by officials close to the
administration, greater safety will be
assured American ships II the use Of
the American flag is absolutely pro-
hibited.
There 10 reason TO believe the con-.
sideration the administration has
given to this matter Is part OF the
plan to induce the Europe belliger-
ents to accept the American proposal
for disarmament OF their merchant
craft. II that proposal should be
adopted, which IL highly unlikely, the
PROCEEDINGS contemplated against mer-
chantmen for flying our flag might not
be taken.
Information has come to the atten-
ton OF the state department iindicat-
ing the use Of the American flag by
some OF the allied ships IN waters In
tested by German submarines. The
government Is determined this prac-
tice shall not continue. Whether the
United States legally could libel a
foreign ship for misusing the Ameri-
can nag IL question which is being
investigated. The administration is
confident proceedings could be insti-
tuted II ID apparent, however, that
such action would arouse extreme ir-
ritation abroad and might be en-
barrassing to our relations with the
countries concerned.
Wilson's. Shift on Travel.
Thru Secretary Tumulty, President
Wilson, denied at Chicago the state
ment that che had changed his stand
on the question of the right OF Ameri-
cans tol travel on belligerent merchant
ships. Nevertheless the Herald cor
respondent knows that notifications of
such change was given by q high Off
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