Logan Republican | 1915-02-09 | Page 4 | Ruse De Guerre is What Britain Calls Lusitania's Trick

RUSE OE GUERRE IS .7 UT BRITAIN CALLS : mm TRICK . . . I foreign Office Justifies the Liner's Sailing Into Port Under Neutral Flag London, Feb. 8. Tho Press association asso-ciation has Issued tho following under un-der a Birmingham date: "Passengers from tho Lusltanla who arrived hero Sunday state thnt when off the coast of Ireland the Lusltanla received a wireless message mes-sage from tho admiralty that It was to hoist tho United States flag. It did so and sailed under that flag to Liverpool." A statemont was Issued by tho foreign office tonight saying: "Tho use of a neutral flag is within with-in certain limitations, wel lestabllsh-cd lestabllsh-cd ln practice as a ruse do guerre. The only effect in tho case ot a merchantman mer-chantman wearing a flag other than lior national flag Is to compel tho enemy to follow tho ordlnnry obligations obliga-tions of naval warfare nnd satisfy himself as to the nationality of tho vessel' and tho chnraetor of her cargo car-go by examination before capturing her and taking lior Into a prize court for adjudication. "In Instructions to British consuls In 1914 It is stated; "A ship Is liable lia-ble to capturo If a British character Is Improperly assumed nxcept for tho purposo ot oscaplng capturo. To destroy de-stroy a ship, noncornbatant crow nnd cargo, us Germany announced her lntontion of doing, Is nothing less than nn act of piracy on the high seas."