New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-10
U.Boat War Along Our Coasts.

tiveness of that campaign has now been
brought little closer home to Americans.
Our trade will suffer from it in an aggra-
waited measure. and the lives Of Americans
will be endangered in a new quarter.
Our sea communications with Canada,
for instance, have never before been even
threatened. Yet it must be recognized that
Canada is belligerent and that U-boat
operations, in so far as they conform to
accepted principles of international law
are just as legitimate on our side OF the
Atlantic as on the other side.
No one disputes the right of the U-boats
to act as commerce destroyers, so long as
they follow the methods of what IS tech
nicallv known as Cruiser warfare" III
thew live I'D to the established rules Of visit
and search, do not attack unresisting mer-
chantmen without warning and provide
for the safety of passengers and crew, they
are at liberty to sink their prizes 1t is
Germany's contention that her warships
have also the right to sink neutral mer-
chantmen if such merchantmen carry car
goes more than half contraband. The
Declaration of London gave its sanction
TO that method of dealing with neutral con-
traband carriers. But the German theory
as regards contraband may not be applied
to American vessels because of the special
provisions Of the ancient treaty of COM
Inerce and amity between Prussia and the
United States.
In order to understand clearly the limi-
tations now imposed on German U-boat ac-
Invites outside our three-mile limit Cor
anywhere else on the high seas) by the ne
gotiations which our government has con-
Quoted with Berlin since the sinking of the
Lusitania it is necessary to go back to the
initiation in February, 1915, of the retalia-
tory submarine campaign against Allied
merchant ships. The German Admiralty
then gave notice that, as a repris9l for the
British embargo on foodstuffs intended for
the civilian population of Germany, 1T had
declared "war zone" about Great Britain
and ireland and would sink without warn
ing all enemy vessels entering or departing
from British and Irish ports. 1t was even
intimated that neutral vessels might also
be torpedoed without warning, "by mad
vertence," and all neutral shipping was
warned to keep out of the 'war zone"
The United States at once countered by
informing Berlin that it would hold Ger
many to "strict accountability" for the de-
struction on the high seas of IAN American
vessel or the lives of American citizens"
The note. that of February 10, 1915, did
not clearly specify that it covered the case
of American citizens travelling on an
enemy passenger merchantmen which
might be torpedoed without warning.
An American citizen, Leon C. Thrasher,
was killed on the British steamship Falaba,
sunk on March 2S, 1915. Our govern
ment chose TO ignore that incident. But
when the Lusitania was torpedoed, and
more than one hundred Americans, men,
women and children, lost their lives, pub
lie opinion compelled President Wilson to
DO something looking toward making good
his "strict accountability" programme.
Three notes were sent to Berlin after the
Lusitania Massacre. They asked for dis
avowal by Germany of the German subma-
rine commanders act and for reparation.
But Berlin did not take them seriously,
realizing that there was no conviction or
fighting temper behind the Adminstra-
tons words. No disavowal was made. No
reparation was offered which the United
States could accept with self-respect. Up
to this day Germany has failed to satisfy
either Of the conditions insisted on by
President Wilson in his many demands for
a settlement of the Lusitania case.
On August 10, 1915, the Arabic was
sunk and two more American lives were
lost. Public opinion became threatening
and a break with Germany seemed inevi-
table. Berlin, not desiring such break,
announced on October 20 a modification of
its submarine policy. A promise was given
not TO torpedo "iners" without warning
Or without regard TO the safety Of passen-
gers and crew, unless the liners resisted or
attempted 10 escape.
There the controversy rested until re-
peated attacks without warning on Allied
merchantmen carrying American passen-
gers. showed that the promise Of October
% was worthless. American resentment
was particularly aroused by the sinking Of
the Sussex last spring. The President was
finally moved 20 threaten severance Of
diplomatic relations with Germany.
In the note dispatched 10 Berlin on April
20 last the President demanded three
things: First Gnferentially rather than
openly, the abandonment Of all submarine
warfare on merchantmen as utterly in
compatible with the principles OF human
ity, the long established and incontroverh-
bic rights Of neutrals and the sacred i'm
nunitles Of non-combatants"; second, the
eesxation Of "relsntlass ano indiscrnminate