omen, children and non-combatants might be removed. And yet everyone
knew that a hard, quick bombardment of Santiago would have given him the
city. He attacked the forts only, and before a gun was fired gave his
ships' captains word that they were to avoid hitting the Spanish
Military Hospital.

Even in the general orders of the German Admiralty staff (Berlin, June
22, 1914) was the following direction, after stating that the passengers
of every armed captured merchant vessel were to be left to go free
"unless it appears they have participated in the resistance": "Before
proceeding to the destruction of the (neutral) vessel (which has been
seized for proper reason), the safety of all persons on board, and, so
far as possible their effects, is to be provided for."

President Wilson, at first unable to believe that Germany was
deliberately violating her word and even after it was impossible to
avoid the conclusion that the campaign of the Teutons was being
conducted, to use their own expression, "ruthlessly," still was doing
his utmost to keep the United States out of the World War. For this he
was bitterly assailed and criticised. However, he patiently held to his
policy announced a year before, that he would "wait until facts become
unmistakable and even susceptible of only one interpretation."

As early as December 24, 1914, Admiral Von Tirpitz in numerous inspired
newspaper articles and interviews, began to explain the possibility of a
very decided change in the German U-boat campaign. This too was before
Germany was really suffering in any marked degree from the tightening
work of the British navy. In spite of his arrogant words, however, the
German admiral directly asks, "What will America say?"

On February 4, 1915, the Germans in a way that was outside all
international law, publicly declared that 'within certain expressed
limits of the sea or war zone, their U-boats would sink vessels without
warning found there without permission, or if they were engaged in
dealings with the enemy.'

Six days later President Wilson warned Germany that she will be held to
"strict accountability" if the rights of American vessels within the
proscribed limits are violated.

It was April 22, 1915, when, through the acknowledged direction of the
German Embassy, advertisements appeared in New York papers warning all
against sailing on vessels planning to pass through the war zone. And
this was done in the face of the President's