Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-13
TIME OF GRACE EXPIRED AND
ALL CRAFTS WILL Be
SUNK FORTHWITH
TO GO FULL LIMIT
BELIEVED RUTHLESS U.eoAI
WARFARE Is NOW 'ON-DENiEo
SINKING SHIPS WITHOUT Civ.
ING WARNING.

London, Feb. 13-Germany has is
sued warning that all periods Of grace
for neutral ships in the barred zone
have expired, according to dispatches
from Amsterdam today. An oficial
statement has been issued in which
neutrals are warned that hereafter all
neutral ships entering the barred zone
do so at their own risk and with Q
knowledge of the dangers they will
face.
Germany's warning is believed here
to mean that she now will pursue her
relentless U.boat warfare to the full
limit, regardless Of neutrals. In the
official statement the German govern
ment also takes occasion to deny that
neutral ships sunk previous to this
time have not been accorded warning.
1t declares that all reports that neu-
trail ships have been torpedoed without
warning during the period Of grace
within the barred zone are false.
The immunity for neutral ships ex-
pired on the night Of February II. for
the zone in the English channel and
in the Atlantic around the British
isles. The North Sea zone time limit
was up on February and the Medi-
terranean zone on Feb. 10.
The German statement added that
the periods ,Of grace had included
enemy passenger liners also as II was
thought some citizens OF neutral coun.
tries may have sailed on them before
the announcement Of the new U boat
policy This declaration was taken
here to mean that in the future enemy
passenger trains will be treated by
German U boats the same as mer-
chantmen.
American Sailors Held.
Washington D.. c., Feb. 13-The sta
tus of the Americans now held pris-
oners in Germany following their ar
rival there on the German prize Var
rowdale, is causing this government
grave anxiety. Their release had been
ordered following peremptory de-
,,opd hv thiS 0ovorv, ~, nuk Iotor tho
diplomatic leak came and they are
now are reported held as hostages"
for the German seaman of war on in
termed vessels in this country.
Secretary of State Lansing said to-
day that the State Department has in
stituted inquiries to find out why they
have not been released. It is expect
ed that they will be the subject Of an
other sharp demand unless German
government permits them to proceed
to neutral territory It Is understood
that the immediate cause of their de-
tention was message sent by the
correspondent of German newspaper,
saying that the United States had ar
rested and interned crews OF war.
bound ships. This impression, how
ever the state department under.
stands has already been corrected by
the correspondent in question
Holding of these men by Germany is
aid in official circles to be utterly un.
warranted inasmuch as ambassador
Gerard had made arrangements for
their cares and transportation back to
the United States before he left Ber.
lin.
Washington, Feb. 13--"Germany
never will renew her assurances
against unrestricted submarine war
fare"
On the eve of the departure from
the United States of Count Won Bern
storff and his staff, the above utter
J ance was made by one of the leading
retiring officials The new submarine
campaign was entered into he said.
after complete toll of the cost had
been taken.
It was designed to starved England
, and to cripple the Entente in the field
by cutting off the supply OF munitions
this official said and the only possible
, concession would be to raise the ban
. so far as neutral ships carrying non
? contabrand was concerned,
incidentally officials here fully re-
alize this. They have had the assur'
a ances of James w. Gerard the retir-
4 ing American ambassador to Germany
to this extent. In consequence the
e administration has made every effort
: to check suggestions which constantly
are being made that Germany's move
,,,os mt direpted aRaiust the United