New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-14
Defends Policy Toward
Greece, Ireland and
South Africa
CALLS STARVATION
LEGAL WAR WEAPON
Says Germany Starved
Paris-PointS to Mining
and U-Boat RuthleSsneSs

London, Jan. 13. An authoritative
statement issued here to-day gives the
British view OF the German and Aus
irian notes TO neutrals. 1t repeats the
assertion that Germanw was RESPONSE
bic for starting the war, inasmuch as
the proposal for a conference was re-
jected This refusal. it is pointed out,
was given on July 27. 1914, while 1T
was not until July 81 that orders were
given for q general mobilization by
the Russian government
The statement deals at length with
the German cnSrgc that the proposals
Of the Allies regarding the rights OF
small nationahtics lacked sincerity, IN
view OF .hc treatment OF the irish and
the Beers the subsection OF Northern
Africa. the suppression OF foreign ma
tionalities i'm Russia and the treatment
Of Greece. On this point the state
mcnt says: 49,.
AS for Ireland and South Africa,
tEeir sons have shown on many battle
fields. as the Germans know to their
cost, that whatever differences there
NAV have been between those countries
and Great Britain, they are now united
with the rest of the empire in repei-
ling German aggression. As for North
ern Africa. at the beginning of the war
had not Germany, too, great colonies
in AFRICA? Did they not obtain those
colonies by similar means to those
which place the French, Italian and
British in coastal Northern Africa =
Explains Policy in Greece
1t is pointed out that the whole Of
Russia is united against the Central
Powers. while as regards Greece the
Allies have done no more than exact III
their capacity of protecting powers the
guarantees to which they were entitled
against German intrigue TO protect the
safety Of their own g.. MES"
Dealing with the charge that the
Allies were<the first to violate the laws
Of war al Sea. the statement says:
prom the very beginning the Ger
mans sowed mines Unfortunately on
trade routes i'm defiance of all lnterna.
tional law and with total disrespect OF
the rights and lives OF neutrals.
The right of cutting off supplies OF an
enemy is a well recognized belligerent
right practised by all nations. Inc
avowed purpose OF the submarine meas
ures of Germany was TO cut on the sup
plies OF these islands. This campaign
has been carried out ruthlessly and
with total disregard of the rights OF
neutr9ls ard Of their lives Even the
Germans cannot pretend to excuse sueh
crimes as those Of the Lusitsnia. the
Arabic. the Sussex and many others
"The Germans profess 70 regard as
iDbuman the employment Of starvation
as q weapon. Were they Of the same
opinion inf 1870, when they starved the
city Of Paris -
Germany Blamed for African War
The statement charges that Germany
herself started the war in Africa by an
attemDt 20 raise an instruction IN
South Africa and says the Germans
are better supplied with munitions and
machine guns in Africa than are the
Allies. Denial also is made of the
charges of bad treatment Of prisoners,
and attention is drawn to the events IN
Belgium. the Armenian maSSacTes and
the alleged i'll treatment OF prisoners
in the Wittenberg camp and elsewhere
Have the Germans forgotten" the
statement continues, that the Chan
cellor admitted the violation of Bel
gian neutrality was wrong. but claimed
it was justified by military necessity?
As for the treatment of Belgium. the
world will not readily forget the mas
sacres of Aerschot and Louvain, the
forced levies of Belgian funds, and the
inhuman. barbarous deportations which
are being carried out this day"
1t is improbable the Allies will make
any further comment on the German
and Austrian notes.
"The Manchester Guardian" consid-
ers that the first thing striking any
one who reads the two replies to Presl-
Dent Wilson's note received from the
belligerents is that they make the
anger which the American note ex-
cited seem exceedingly foolish. The
newspaper believes it will be found to
the advantage Of the Allies that THEN
terms are fully defined and to the dis
advantage Of Germany that hers arr
left indefinite. Il considers the allG-
sion to territorial" arrangements
which may guarantee" frontiers
against attack an unfortunate expires
sion. which easily becomes an aggres.
sion covering phrase.
Apart from this phrase, what is
there in the entire note TO which the
liberty loving American can take oh
lection ~ il asks