Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-03-17
THE sILIus.

Trouble Makers are at work again.
! There is no reason to believe that
the Silius met her fate except by the
! explosion of q mine. Mines have no
nationality, and under the peculiar
construction of international law now
! obtaining we have no redress in case
| of vessel thus destroyed. we
! should not be surprised if the mine
/ was an English mine II the ship
| was destroyed by torpedo. we
! should not be surprised if it were an
English torpedo, for an incident OF
this nature is exactly in accordance
with tho avowed English program OF
| involving the United States with
Germany.
II is not conceivable that the boat
should be victim Of a German sub
marine, for any submarine comman-
der torpedoing a neutral unarmed
vessel without warning would be
acting clearly against the instruc-
tions Of his government Whatever
may be said against the German he
is not apt to be guilty Of breach
of discipline. If, nevertheless. such
a breach should have occurred, or II
the torpedoing of the Silius should be
the result of q deplorable misunder-
standing, Germany, with the honesty
which is so characteristic OF her di-
plomacy, viii unquestionably shoul-
der the blame and make whatever
atOnement-rcmains to be made.
In any case, no American lost his
life with the Silius. II is, however,
likely that much will be made by the
pro-Ally press in the next few days
over the fact that the lives of four
American sailors were "jeopardized"
in this ease Let us state clearly
now, once and for all. that American
sailors enlisting under alien flags
have no claim TO the protection OF
the Unitcd States We would not
deem il necessary to make this state
ment We're il not for Washington
press adyices that, II German tor
pedo should prove to be the cause Of
the disaster. the United States would
view tho matter as even more serious
than ii q passenger-carrying ship
was involved. The State Department,
It was pointed out on apparently
good authority, considers American
seamen as having even greater
claim 10 protection than passengers.
for n passenger, II is argued travels
at his discretion, while a seaman is
compelled to do 50 by occupation
II the State Department has been
correctly quoted ii would appear as
though our Government was totally
oblivious to the principle thus far
held by the United States Us govern
ing the question involved. namely,
that seaman serving on vessel of
other than his own nationality owes
for that time to the country TO which
the ship on which he is serving be-
longs. u temporary allegiance.
This principle was clearly laid
down by Justice Field in decision
OF the Supreme Court Of May 25,
1891, having under consideration the
status of an alien enlisted in an
American shipA1d0 U. s. 472-in
which he said,
by such enlistment he becomes
an American seaman--one OF an
American crew on board Of an Amer
lean veesel--and as such entitled 20
the protection and benefit Of all the
laws passed by Congress on behalf OF
American seamen and subject to all
their obligations and liabilities. .
He owes for that time to the country
10 which the ship on which he Is
eorvin0 helongs q ten1norarv ollor-