The intimate papers of Colonel House arranged as a narrative by Charles Seymour.

366 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

Prussia, but his attack on Russian Poland failed. In order to
rob the Russians of further offensive power, it seemed necessary to carry through the conquest of Poland and to liberate
Galicia. This attack upon the Russian armies was the more
important in that negotiations for an Austro-Italian settlement were not proceeding smoothly and there appeared imminent danger that Italy might join the Allies. To meet this
new enemy, Austria must be freed from the threat of Russian
attacks.
If Germany mobilized her main strength in the East, she
would be unable to push a vigorous offensive against the
French and British in the West. But here she possessed one
great advantage, a superiority of munitions, and upon this
she counted. It was vital that Great Britain, slow in the
production of her own munitions, should not be permitted to
import them from America, which always refused to lay an
embargo. Hence Germany's determination to utilize the
submarine.
Taking as a pretext the British restrictions upon the entrance of foodstuffs into Germany, a new departure which the
Germans regarded as worthy of retaliation, they proclaimed
a 'war zone' around the British Isles to take effect upon
February 18, 1915. After that date, they threatened, German submarines would destroy any enemy merchant ship in
this zone, without regard for the safety of the passengers or
crews of the vessels attacked. They warned neutral shipping
of the peril that would attend entrance into the war zone,
since mistakes might occur, especially if belligerent ships
continued the practice of raising neutral flags.
The response of the American Government was prompt
and definite. It warned Great Britain of the peril inherent
in the unauthorized use of the American flag. In more solemn phrases it warned Germany that if submarines should
'destroy on the high seas an American vessel or the lives of
American citizens, it would be difficult for the Government