New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-23
All British Hospital Ships
To Garry German Wounded
Measure Will Be Taken Because Of Brutal and lnhuman
Acts of U-Boats Government Says-Vesses
Will Travel Unmarked

French arplanes bombarded Freiburg
with what were described as salts
factoE results"
The statement continues: Despite
the warnings conveyed TO Germany that
her barbarous attacks on hospital ships
would result in such action on the part
Of Great Britain, the German govern
ment published through a wireless
message on April IS an abusive pro-
test. which, 'categorcally contested any
Justification for this reprisal. Nothing
could afford a better illustration OF the
German mentality and reasoning.
"On the other hand. the spirit IN
which the Allies exacted retrbution IS
shown by the purely military character
of the measures adopted. The alrmeh
who carried out the attack were eX-
posed to. and did in fact incur, precise
ly the same dangers from the town de-
fences as they would have in the course
OF an ordinary action.
New Status of Hospital Ships
ct is plain, however, that any re-
taliatory measures open TO n govern
ment UNFOLDING the principles of hu-
manitv and Justice would not prove a
deterrent to Germany in the future.
Such reprisals could only be punitive
in effect. and IL was necessary to re,
consider the entire status OF hospital
ships in the light of the attitude taken
by the German government.
THE markings agreed upon at the
Hague Convention, which hitherto
guaranteed immunity to hospital ships
from attack. rendered them no longer
inviolable. The custom OF showing all
navigation lights and of Illuminating
distinctive markings at night only al
forded better target for German SUD-
marines.
at was. therefore, decided that the
sick and wounded. together with the
medical personnel and supplies, must
in the future be transported Tor thelr
own safety In ships carrying no az
tinctive markings and proceeding
without lights i'm the same manner as
ordinary mercantile traffic. Notiee
has accordingly been given the Ger
man government that the British
Government has withdrawn certain
vessels from the list Of hospital shl2s
published by them, in accordance with
international law, and they will 40
longer appear thereon.
Germans To BE Transported
During the recent fighting on the
Western front a very large number OF
wounded German prisoners have fallen
into our hands. These officers and men
have to be transported to England for
treatment by the same means that our
wounded are brought over, and practl-
cally all the ships transporting
wounded arc bound 30 carry proper,
ton of German wounded. These will
naturally share with the British
wounded equal risks from attacks by
German submarines.
"Whether the policy OF the German
government is likely to be detected
from its abominable course by the
knowledge that it can only be pursued
at the expense of their own wounded
remains to be seen.
an the light of recent events, it
seems reasonable TO suppose that the
hospital ships Braemer Castle and
Britannia were also torpedoed in No
vember, 1916, although the evidence at
the time was not considered conclu-
sive as to whether their losses were
occasioned by mines or torpedoes."