Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-07-19
THE MERCY CALL or THE SEA
BY 3. @. PIPP
Copyright. lQlSl

German warfare has rendered use
less the mercy cali OF the sea.
We all know that the anal act
which brought America Into the war
was Germany's declared and execut-
ed ruthless warfare on both passen-
ger and freight shipping ON the ocean.
International law on destruction
OF belligerent and neutral shipping
la clear and simple--and humane 80
far as there can be humanity In war
fare. The rule provides that before
a boat is sunk. the destroyer must
rescue the passengers and make them
safe; then, under certain rules. IL Is
legal to sink the boat.
But Germany developed the sub
marine. and submarines can act only
as snakes of the sea.
The old rule OF warfare. the old
agreement. the old pledge OF honor,
given az men and as nations. did not
suit the German method OF warfare
as applied by the submarine. 80 hon
or and the given word had 10 go. and
the Germans deliberately sent boats
and passengers TO the bottom OF the
ocean without warning.
But worse than that has been her
action.
With the development Of wireless
telegraphy came the distress call. or
mercy call, the 8. o. 8. call of the
sea. A boat in trouble could send up
that call and other boats receiving It
woud rescue TO the rescue
Now. as q result Of German prae-
tice. in crossing the ocean both ways
we could receive wireless messages
but send out none.
The beat was kept dark at night.
No one on deck was permitted to have
a fash light or to smoke q cigar. for
fear the light would reveal the steam
er's location TO some enemy craft. II
was the same with wireless, nothing
was sent for fear a Fritz would pick
II up and sink the steamer-and he
was sinking enough A. II was. we
had TO make quick turns ON two oc-
casion to get away.
II a steamer hears an s. o. 8. call,
the steamer nov has to continue on
its way. needing not the call. The
officers on the steamers state the Fea-
son for that II that two German sub
marines had been known 10 get to-
gether. send OUT a distress call, and
then when a ship came on an errand
Of mercy, send torDedoes into the
ship and destroy It.
London is always warned when
German alrpIanes cross the English
channel. A watch In always kept III
the coast. A. soon az the word gets
TO London. whistles are blown, lights
are put out: the city. already dark
ened, Il made darker, and people seeh
safety wherever they can.
The German airpIanes usually
come over In fleets Of six. seven or
eight. When they approach the city
London puts up = curtain OF shrspnel
are about the city.
That IL. many big gums. powerful
enough to shoot two or three miles
in the air. are kept IN certain posi-
tiOns and fired constantly 30 long n
the enemy planes are lowering near
The guns are not aimed AZ the planes
but 30 many OF them are fred that Il
. almost impossible for > plane q
get over the city without being ait.
Most planes and the ere 90 no
that the pilots turn back. but fre
quentiy one OF two get through ans
DO their damage.
Il ia said. and the authority seem
ed good. that # cost London s10e ,00i
for powder and shells every tim
they have 10 fight OF German ar
(Coutiusd on Last pawsl