The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-10-29
A Hollow DIPLOMATIC aYictory.v

1t is beginning to dawn upon the
observant mind here the President
Wilson'S great diplomatic victory" in
the submarine controversy with Ger
many lacks several essential elements
of completeness, and that the only
thing accomplished has been a miti-
gation-of the difficulty. In fact, it is
now appreciated that the note to Ger
many is prohibited from sinking I'M
Frye by German and American rep
Preventative without referee. He also
agrees to an arbitral Interpretation
by The Hague tribunal Of the provis-
ions Of the treaty of 1928, under which
| the United States contends that Ger
many is prohibited from sinking I'M
resisting American ships under any
circumstances.
Germany informed the United States
few weeks ago that pending the
arbitration 1t would not harm Ameri-
can vessels carrying conditional con-
itraband, but would reserve the right
to sink American ships carrying abso-
lutte contraband.
Although, according to the American
contention, the sinking Of an American
ship carrying even absolute contra
band would be a violation Of the treaty.
the president has now yielded consent
to the German declaration of inten-
lions pending the arbitration. which
will not be concluded until after the
end Of the war.
The only stipulation made by the
president is that when American ships
carrying absolute contraband are con-
demned for destruction the noncom-
batants aboard such vessels shall be
removed to a place of safety otherwise
than in small boats.
This stipulation revives the whole
question OF the use Of the submarine
against merchant vessels. The Ger
mans have contended and the prest-
dent has admitted that it is imprac-
/ ticable for submarine to remove per-
sons from merchantmen to the cap
tor vessel as contemplated by the rule
of international law. The president
has gone SO far as to say that for this
reason the submarine cannot be used
to attack shipping without disregard
ing international law.
| The official German view Is that in
accepting assurances given in the set
Element of the Arabic case President
Wilson tacitly acquiesced in the I'M
derstanding that Germany, while re-
/; framing henceforth from attacking
passenger liners without warning, is
at liberty to sink freight vessels on
sight with impunity.
| This leaves open the entire question
of the protection Of American lives. AS
1.-THE situation stands at present, the
German ambassador. In a personal let
tier, has promised that his nation will
pay damages for the two Americans
/, drowned on the Arabic and that hence
forth submarine commanders will be
forbidden to attack liners without
warning. What the term liners"
means hns not been defined as yet.
The life of the hlmblest American
who ships as stoker on frcighter
! and the life OF the American farmers
( boy who tends a dozen mules on a
tramp steamer are Just as dear to
them as the life Of Alfred Vanderbilt
on the elmer" Llsitania was dear to
him.
We promised the same full protec-
ton to the American stoker on the
ammunition ship which we promised
to the American traveller on the
elmer We told the kaiser in Inn
pressive tones that We should exact
"strlct accountability" for the death
of the stoker and. the death of the trav-
eler alike.
There Is still long, long way to
travel between Count Bernstorff's note
to Secretary Lansing aud our promise
to hold Germany to "strict account
sb'''ti." for the different ships at
! The sea elephant uses its trunk to
seize its prey and to transfer food to
Its mouth Just as does its brother
which roams the land.