The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-01-06
WAR AND THE UNITED STATES

Strictly neutral as has been the pol
icy elected by this country, the gov
eminent has been brought face to face
| with many serious problems which
| have arisen from the conduct OF the
European war. One of these was the
seizure and detention by Great Britain
OF vessels carrying American goods to
neutral ports in Europe. protest
was made by Washington and on Jan
uary 10 Great Britain replied by Of
fering reasonable redress for any mis-
take of that nature.
Early in February, Great Britain de-
cided to seize grain and flour ship
ments to Germany even II intended for
noncombatants, and, two days later,
Germany declared the waters around
Great Britain and Ireland tc be war
zone, and announced her purpose to
| destroy every enemy merchant vessel
discovered therein. Neutrals were
warned Of the danger sure tc follow.
On February g. the Atlantic liner Lusi-
| tania made the passage from New
York to Liverpool flying the American
flag as a protection against hostile
submarines. On February 10, the
| United States sent notes to Germany
and Great Britain concerning Ameri-
can shipping in the war cone. Ger
many was warned against committing
a breach of the rules Of naval warfare
and Great Britain was reminded that
serious consequences might follow the
use of the American flag by British
vessels. On February &c. Germany Of
fered to withdraw from her crusade
against British merchant ships IL the
| British would permit the sending OF
| food to the civilian population of Ger
many. On the same day, the British
| government seized the American ship
Wilhelmina, bound for German port
with wheat for civilian consumption.
The German note in reply to the
| American protest against the subma-
rine blockade disclaimed all RESPONSE
| bility. Great Britain affirmed its in.
tention to send the Wilhelmina to
prize court. In replies to inquiries
from the Washington government,
neither Germany nor Great Britain
showed any disposition to recede from
the positions already announced. On
April II, the German ambassador pro-
tested to the state department against
the attitude OF the United States to-
ward the shipment OF war materials
and British treatment of American
! trade with Germany. On May l the
American oil carrier Gulfight was
sunk off the Sicily islands by a Ger
man submarine.
Destruction Of the tusitania.
On May 7, the big transatlantic liner
Lusitania was sunk by German sub
marine off the coast OF Ireland, with
a loss Of nearly 200 lives; including
upwards Of a hundred Americans. On
| May 10 the United States protested
against the German submarine policy
and declared its intention OF main
| tanning the rights of American citi-
zens On May % the American steam
er Nebraskan was seriously damaged
| by torpedo OF the south coast OF
ireland. On May % the German reply
| to the United States note of protest
| in regard to the submarine policy in
the so-called war zone" was received.
Final statement OF the German posi-
| ton was reserved until common ba-
sis of fact as to the status Of the Lusi-
taaia should be established. On May
| - IL IN ,,I nn-
ment that the Gulhight had been sunk
by German submarine whose cap
tain failed to recognize tho American
flag.
On June 8 Secretary OF State viii
| liam ]. Bryan resigned his office to
| avoid signing second note OF pro-
| tost to Germany against submarine In
reference with merchant ships. On
the following day this note was sent
and assurances were asked that In fu-
ture American ships and lives should
be safeguarded On June % the Brit
| ish government sent an official note
| TO the American ambassador explain
| ing efforts made to protect neutral
shipping. On June 2S the British
steamer Armenian was destroyed by
n German submarine of the coast OF
southern England and n number OF
| Americans in the crew lost their lives,
| On July Germany replied to the
| second Washington note regarding
the submarine war against merchant
| ships. promising safety to United
| States ships in the war zone II specif-
ically marked, and suggesting that the
American flag be placed on four hos
| tile steamers for the safe transporta-
tion OF American passengers.
Moro Diplomatic Notes.
| On July II the United States sent n
| third note to Germany, with the state
ment that the German reply to a fo.-
| mer note had been very unsatisfac-
| tory" and that repetition OF the
acts complained OF would be regarded
as deliberately unfriendly.' On Aug
ust 3 several notes from Great Brit
ain concerning interference with Amer
| lean trade in the war zone were
| made public, in which 1t was
| claimed that Great Britain was do
ing nothing in violation OF interna-
tional law In the case OF the William
p. Frye, an American ship sunk by
the Prinz Eitel Friedrich, January rs,
| Germany agreed tc furnish indemnity,
and the United States accepted the
offer and proposed that the matter be
| referred to The Hague court.