arine warfare
against passenger and freight-carrying vessels, the Government of the
United States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relations with
the German Empire altogether."

QUESTIONS GERMANY'S RIGHT.

The first American note to the Imperial Government, of February 10,
1915, disputed the right of Germany to declare such a war zone as it had
announced the week before, and contended for the international procedure
of "visit and search" before attack on or capture of a neutral vessel.
It embodied this phrase:

"If such a deplorable situation should arise (wanton destruction of an
American ship) the Imperial German Government can readily appreciate
that the Government of the United States would be constrained to hold
the Imperial German Government to a strict accountability for such acts
of their naval authorities and to take any steps it might be necessary
to take to safeguard American lives and property and to secure to
Americans the full enjoyment of their acknowledged rights on the high
seas."

In reply the German Government sent a note under date of February 16,
1915, setting forth that the war zone proclamation was in reprisal for
the "blockade" of Great Britain and that if "at the eleventh hour" the
United States should prevail upon Germany's enemies to abandon their
methods of maritime warfare, Germany would modify its order. It charged
misuse of neutral flags and the arming of merchant ships by Great
Britain.

On February 20, in an identic note to Germany and Great Britain, the
American Government suggested that both Powers cease their illegal
activities. Such an agreement this Government proposed as a "modus
vivendi" giving opportunity for further discussion of the points in
controversy. Berlin accepted this note as "new evidence of the friendly
feelings of the American Government," but reserved a "definite
statement" of the position of the Imperial Government until it learned
"what obligations the British Government are on their part willing to
assume."

Subsequently, on March 28, the British steamship Falaba was sunk, with
the loss of 163 lives, including one American. On April 28 the American
steamship Cushing was attacked by an aeroplane, and on May 1 the
American tanker Gulflight was attacked by a submarine and three United
States citizens were lost.

On May 1, also, the German Embassy at Washington caused to be inserted
in many of the leading American newspapers the now famous adver