The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-06-26
SEAMEN WILL
Be PUNISHED
Allies Dispatch Sharp Note
10 German Chiefs

buttf NpsNsH ~ p"
Press. Sinking Of the German
fleet I'm Scapa Flow. II not only
"a violation 81 the armistice. but
can only be regarded aS n d1lib~rs
ate breach In advance ri the con
ditions OF the peace treaty. the
allied powers declared In the note
forwarded 10 Germany yesterday.
The same WAS also said 10 be
true Of the burning ~ French
battle flags Ia Germany.
1T N evident that any repeti-
ton Of acts Hike those must have
very unfortunate effect upon
the future operation of the treaty
which the Germans are about to
sign" the note said. Notice was
given that the allies would de-
msnd PREPARATION for tho sinking
and trial 81 those responsible.
The note follows:
'"rhe terms OF the arrnistice signed
by Germany on November II. 1918.
provided as follows
"'Article xXIII-The German sur.
face wnrahlpa which shall be specified
by the allies and the United States
shall forthwith be disarfned and
thereafter interncd In neutral ports.
or falling them. In the allied ports
Designated by the allies and the
United States. only care and main
tenancc parties being left on board
ION June ~ the German warships
which had been handed over TO the
allies and associated powers and
were at anchor I'm the roadatead at
Scapa flow. with the German officers
and maintenance parties on board
were sunk by these parties under the
orders % the German admiralty co.n.
rnand.r. according 10 information
which has been collected and trans.
rnitted by the British admiralty. The
German admiral has alleged that he
acted In the belief tn. arrnistice ex
pired on June 81. at midday. and con.
sequcntiy. In his opinion. tb. destruc-
ton Ia question was no violation OF
Its terms.
I'm law. Germany. by signing the
terms OF the Arnistics set out above.
entered into an understanding that
the ships should remain In the ports
Indicated under such orders M would
insure that tho armlStice should be
observed.
The sinking OF these ships conr,i.
tuted nj once n violation Of the ar.
misticc and AN act OF gross bad faith
toward tho allied and associated pow.
era"
The admiral In command. while
recognising that the act was n
breach % the armistice. attempted
70 Justify u by alleging his belief
the arnistIcc had come TO an end.
This alleged justification IL not well
founded. According 10 the COM
uunication addressed 20 the Ger
man government June is. 1919. the
armiHticc would only terminate on
refusal TO sign tho peace or ~ no
answer were returned June ~ nj
o'clock.
Punish Offenders
According 20 tho international
law, every serious violation Of the
armiNticc by one Of the parties
gives tho other tho right to de-
nouncc II. and even In case Of ur-
Kcncy 90 rccommcncc hoHtiiities at
once. a violation OF the terms by
individuals. acting on their own
initiative. only oonfcrs the right Of
demanding punishment Of these Of
Tenders. and II necessary. indemnity
for the losses sustained. IL Will
therefore. be open to the allied and
associated powers 10 bring before
sponHibie for these acts of dcstruc-
ton. 80 that appropriate penalties
may be imposed. Furthermore. the
incident gives the allied and asso-
ciatcd powers a right TO PREPARATION
for the loss caused.
lastly. the sinking OF the Ger
man fleet II not only violation Of
the armistice. but can only be re-
gardcd an deliberate breach In
advance Of the conditions Of peace
Furthermore. the Incident is not an
isolated act. Tho burning, or per-
mission for the burning. OF the
French flags which Germany has
10 restore constitutes another de-
Hibernate breach In advance of these
same conditions
Demand Reparation
TN consequence. the allied and
associated powers declare that they
take note OF these signal facts OF
bad faith. and that when the in.
vestigations have been completed.
they will exact the necessary repa-
ration. ~ In evident that any rcpe-
tition OF acts like those must have
n very unfortunate effect upon the
future operation OF the treaty
which the Germans are about to
sign. They have made complaint
OF the is years period Of occupa-
ton which the treaty contemplatos.
They have made complaint that ad-
mission TO the league OF nations
may be too long deferred. How
can Germany put forth such claims
N she encourages or permits DELHI
crate violations OF her written en-
gagements. She cannot complain
should the allies use the full pow
ers conferred on them by the
treaty II she deliberately violates
its provisions"