The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-10
Explains Position in U-Boat Warfare. Claim
ing Its Action Right and Proper.
Reply Handed American Ambassador at vie,ra nv ~
uian Government and Forwarded to United States
bsme Placed ON Entente and Neutrals for Losses In
CURED by Reason of Submarine Ravages

BONGTn
ment to the American note inquirin,
- to tho position of the Austria,
government In regard to unrestricte,
submarine warware. according to
Vienna dispatch to Reuters by wa,
Of Amsterdam.
The rcply declares that neutral
are responsible for losses they suffe
py entering territory where war-lik,
operations are taking place.
The Austrian memorandum, refef
I ring to the note on the Ancona case
says that 1t strictly adheres to tn,
assurance already given"
At the same time Austria calls at
tention to the fact that at the tim,
Of the Ancona incident it stated that
IL reserved the right to bring ur
later for discussion difficult interna
uonal questions which are i'm con.
nsction with the submarine warfare
The text Of the Austrian reply i.
quoted as follows in later Vienna
dispatch to Reuters.
From the memorandum of Feb.
(, ruary Is OF the American ambassador
the Austro-Hungarian foreign minis
ter has concluded that the Washing
ton cabinet in view of statements
made on February 10 of last year and
on Jan. 81. 1917. by the Austro- Hun
garian government Is now In doubt
regarding the attitude which Austro-
Hungary will henceforth observe re-
Earding the submarine war and as to
whether the assurances given by the
Austro- Hungarian government to the
washington cabinet i'm the course of
negotiations about tho Ancona and
Persia papers hive not been nulli-
ned by the aforementioned statement.
The ro-Hungarian government Is
ready, to make clear and definite
statement SO that these doubts may be
solved.
The Austro- Hungarian government
may be allowed first of all to discuss
briefly the methods employed by the
entente powers In waging subma-
rfne war. and because they are the
starting point for tho increased sub
marine war begun by Austria Hun
sary and her allies and also throw
a bright light upon the attitude VIII,
Austro- Hungarian government has
taken hitherto in regard to the aues-
tsons which have arisen. When Great
Britain Joined the war against the
central powers only few years had
elapsed since that memorable time
when she. in union with other states
began to lay the foundation at The
Hague for modern naval war law
Soon afterward. the British govern
ment had assembled i'm Holland rep
In order to consolidate the further
work OF the Hague conference. es-
peciaily I'm the sense of just ar,
rangement between interested bellig
erents and neutrals. These effort,
aimed at nothing less than the mutua
establishment OF principles of righ
which even in war times should EN-
body the principles OF freedom of tn,
seas and the safeguarding OF the in
terests OF neutrals.
''Neutrals were not to enjoy thes
benefits for long. Hardly had tn,
United Kingdom decided to par
ticipate In the war when, almost a
once, Ii began TO break down the bar
riers which the principles OF interna
tional law had enacted. While tn
central powers. In the very beginnin
of the war. had declared that the
would observe the Declaration Q
London. which also bore the signatur
OF the British representative. Grea
Britain threw overheard some OF IL
important provisions In an endeavo
to cut Off the central powers fror
supplies from overseas she enlarged
step by step. tho list OF contraban
until nothing was missing in the lis
OF things which today men want 70
their subsistence.
"Thon Great Britain proclaimc
what she called blockade of tn
coasts OF the North sea. which forl
also an important commerce rout
for Austro- -Hungarians. In order I
prevent goods which wero still missin
In the list OF contraband from enter
ing Germany and I'm order to prever
all sea traffic by neutrals TO thos
coasts rs well as all exports throug
neutrals. That this blockade was
fragrant contradiction to tho custom
ary principles OF the right of blocl
ado aa established nv interuotioni