THE BARALONG AFFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 49, 26 February 1916, Page 11

THE BARALONG AFFAIR.

GERMANY REFUSES ARBITRATION. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, January 18. The Germans are making great play for the benefit of-neutrals .over the alleged "Baralong murders," as they call them; indeed, , to 'read the matter appearing . thereupon .in some Teutonic newspapers, you might imagine that the alleged 'brutal doings of Captain Mcßfide and his merry men 'Was the only piece of "frightfulness" produced by the war. The Germans, who, of course, have refused to entertain Sir Edward Grey's suggestion to submit the. Baralong case and certain other marine in which we allege the Germans were the "frightful" parties, to the investigation of an independent tribunal, are talking as though the sworn statements of six Americans who allege that they were witnesses of the Baralong "murders," placed the question of the guilt of Captain Mcßride and his crew beyond all possible doubt whatever. But Americans—and other neutrals—are not so sure, especially since the yon Papen revelations. The papers belonging to that worthy, which were seized by the British Government, Teveal yon Papen as t&e manager of dynamite plots, and the paymaster of assassins, so it is not hard, therefore, for levelheaded neutrals to .'believe' that he, or the' creatures employed by him; 1 might conceivably think it worthwhile to buy a few lies, if 'by so doing they thought they could create a little extra antiBritish feeling in America and" elsewhere. In their reply to Sir Edward Grey's proposal in the Baralong case the German Government protests most strongly against the "unheard of and unproved accusation against the German Army and Navy, which has observed during the' present war the principles of international law and humanity, and the authorities take care that all violations thereof will be carefully in vest igated and severely punished."

Dealing with the three cases brought; against Germany by Sir E. Grey, the reply says they were investigated in due course, and adds: "The Commander of the submarine who sank the Arabic acted as he did because in view of the circumstances he was compelled to the conviction that the , steamer'was about to ram the submarine. He therefore ■.Dclievcd that ho was acting in justi;fiaible self-defence. "The case of attack by <& German torpedo-boat destroyer on a British submarine in Danish waters happened in this way: A fight occurred in those waters between the two war vessels, and the submarine defended itself by gunfire." But according to Danish papers and the captain of the Danish warship which intervened to try to save the crew of the British crnft from the German vessel's fire, no such defence was attempted by the British! "The charge.of violating Danish waters cannot properly be advanced by England, "whose naval forces in a number of cases have attacked German ships in neutral waters. As regards the destruction of the steamer 'Huff, t!)«. applied ;the'ihcasurcs v announced by the German Government in February, 1915. These . m.easur.es arc in. accordance'with, international Taw, since England endeavoured by illegally paralysing the legitimate maritime trade of neutrals with Germany to cut off all imports from the latter and bring the German people lo starvation. Suitable reprisals may be taken against illegal actions. In all three cases the German naval forces had in view only the destruction of hostile ships, and in noway tTie destruction of helpless persons who were endeavouring to save themselves. The contrary assertion by the British Government must 'be most resolutely repudiated as untrue." GERMANS TO JUDGE GERMANS. The German Government considers that it muet reject the British proposal to submit the three . above-mentioned casts, thW'J&ralong cose, to '£ cflurg. naval onlcerft* 3lt : the- tiMaliiiAbjLyTmeedty^^Smt . membens of German forces ,must;,ibe- Investigated (by their own competent authorities, and that these offer every guarantee for

impartial judgment, and, if necessary, just punishment. Germany does not present any other demand to the British Government in the Baralong pase, becauee she does not doubt that "a waT tribunal' composed of British naVal officers would • suitable punish ■• such a, cowardly. and ; treacherous murder." is a "pretty little compliment to British fairplay which may imp'reee neutrab, but whit would Germany say if a tribunal "so composed investigated the Baralong affair and came to the conclusion : that 'Captain Mcßride. and, his men were innocent ? Would; she accept the court's finding? One .can hardly imagine her doing co in the face of the next paragraph of the reply:— "Our demand was all the more justified because of the sworn statement of Americans. Thiie neutral evidence.which was laid before the British Government practically made unquestionable the guilt of the commander and crew of the Baralong. The British method of replying to the German memorandum corresponds neither in form nor. in its contents with the seriousness of the situation, and makes it impossible for the German Government to discuss the affair further with England. The final result of the negotiations is that the t Government, ( under futile.', pretests," has. lei % ■■ unf^lfflled ■ the just , <lcma,)id: for- in^fiig»|i<ii^,: : and' has . itself vfcepousiMc for a crim'&ywlftchfcjii a national. law .arid,, to .human ity?£i;y The 'reply terminates by saying. that Germany sees herself obliged to take in hand the punishment of this unexpiated crime, and to devise rpprisals-to meet the British challenge..:. • ■ • MONUMENT OF SHAME. When the Baralong affair was discussed 'in the-'Reichstag Count Westarp spoke of the occurrence as a- "'cowardly murder," and said that German naval heroes fell victims in the .honourable exercise of. their profession. He described England's reply as a monument of shame, and added that the best-reply to England would be resolute deeds. Herr :Nosk«, a Socialist deputy, also spoke in the same strain. He eaid: "Wo know that our army and fleet will not allow themselves to he surpassed in humanity, morality, and civilisation by enemy soldiers or sailors." Herr Zimmermann, Undcr-Secretary for Foreign Affairs,' assured the House that the Government "will find the right means and way to punish a revolting deed sharply and-, impressively."

TEUTONIC. IDEA OF "P^OOF." The.■jniblica.tlon' of 'the, to.it "' .of the British tSotc.»nv the Barafong-ftfjair and the reply;offtlie; German Government caused.;* storm;: : 't)f the .wil^eef-accusa-tione -and Vituperation in the German Prose against Great Britain. -The "Voasische Zeitung" said:— "Grqat Britain'e proposal of arbitration Is not meant seriously at' all. It is a cunning trick. The "proposal ie meant to create the'impression that jtho British Government docs not hesitate to submit matters'to the Judgment of j any impartial personality, but in reality j tho British Government knows very well 1 that there is no honest sailor who could i approve euch a deed, and the German Government is quite right in supposing that Germany could confidently place judgment eVen in'the hands of "British officers." If this means anything, it means that tho Germane consider that no investigation as to truth or otherwise of the charges against the Baralong's captain and crew is necessary hi the face of those American affidavits, and that all the British officers need trouble aEbut is to apportion punishments to fit the crime of Captain Mcßride and his guilty crew. The "KrouJi Zeitung" says that tho British reply is a proof tiiat the Britisli Government has issued a general order to destroy all German submarines'- crews and not take them prisoners. "British sailors and officers who are willing to execute such ordere," it says, "degrade themselves to the rank of hangman's servants." The "liokalanzeigcr" violently attacks the British Government, saying that only the -.'guilty conscience of a British politician- could produce such,, a No.te."