New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-07-01
SUBMARINES AGAIN.

! to be no cause for alarm over the
sinking of the Dominion ship Ar'n1en-
ian by the German submarine U-3S.
| True, the torpedoing Of the vessel
! at this time with the concurrent loss
of American lives is not the most con
ducive method of pouring oil on the
troubled diplomatic waters; but theirs
is hardly any similarity between the
ing of the Lusitania, which in reality
brought about the present high feels
/ ing In the International situation.
The Armenian was a British vessel
| Americans who met their doom with
/ her were employees, fully aware Of
their precarious position. Those on
the Lusitania, for the. most part, were
bona fde passengers on a. great pas
| senger liner and on a different foot
ing than those aboard the Armenian.
| Ambassador Page at London. mas
! been notified by the state department
to make a thorough investigation of
the sinking Of the Armenian. Until
the full findings of this investigation
are received and made public there IS
/ hardly any ground for continent
From the American consul at Bris-
/ toll we learn the Armenian fieW the
/ British flag. She cleared port at
i Syy.
mules and horses, bound for Avon
mouth, England. Therefore. she was
running the gauntlet and liable to at
/ tack and destruction by German
ships. Whether she was given due
| warning or the right of visit and
search was exercised in her case is a
| question that must be decided by
state department of1iciais after Am
Esbassador Page has made his report.
In the event the Armenian was not
/ duly held UP and warned and a
chance given to her crew and pas
sengers to get off in safety, the Ger
1 man submarine commander violated
one of the principal clauses in Presi-
dent Wilson's last note of protest to-
the imperial German government. II
he did violate this inalienable right
held by all merchantmen, no matter
| of what country, the question then
settles itself into, did the command
er do so under orders from his gov
| eminent, or merely at his. own insti-
cation ~
+ Until full information reaches
/ these shores and the exact status of
the Armenian is made known, There
/ is no cause for alarm. The Ulaited
States insists that human life be not
/ placed in jeopardy through indisdrim
4 mate attack and destruction Of mer-
! Ghantnaan without proper warning
and exercise OF the right Of visittand
/ search.
i Before anything can be done IN
the matter, lit will have to be definite-
/ ly settled whether the Armenian was
4 a merchantmen Of whether she was
] listed as vessel in the British navy.
/ The whole proposition devolves
upon the following three asslmp-
B tions:--
chartered by the British Govern
4 nent and enlisted as a. British Gov
eminent vessel: she could have been
i chartered as "a cargo vessel with the
British government taking#no part
4 in her operation; she may also have
been a cargo vessel sailing under no
! charter from the British government
The answer to those three propos-
itions will change the whole com
i plexion of the Armenian case.
If she was an armed vessel and re-
sisted an attempt to visit and search
her, the German Government car
easily explain. And last Of all, if the
i German Government can prove the
Americans on board were employed
by the British Government TO deliver
horses and mules to the Allies, the
bottom is Knocked out OF the whole
affair. AMBASSADOR Page has in
formed the State Department that
the Armenian was engaged in adj
!. niralty business
While this, case may not further ag-
gravate 9yr diplomatic relations with
] Germany it is to be hoped the Imper-
/ ial German Government loses no time
/ in giving assurances that it will re-
i spect American lives on their jour
/ neys through the war zone when our
people are travelling in legitimate