New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-11
A New Challenge.

on
confirms all the doubts and suspicious
raised by the advance abstract cables
from Berlin. Il goes even further IN the
direction Of reducing TO a pale abstraction
The pledge Of a reform in the methods OF
submarine warfare given on September l
last by the German government.
The note repeats Count Won Bern
storfTs technical assurance Of that date
by saying that According TO his instruc-
tons the commander was not allowed to
attack the Arabic without warning and
without saving the lives Iof non-com-
batantsl, unless the ship attempted TO
escape or offered resistance But 1t &C
cents the commanders plea that he be-
heved the Arabic was going TO attack
him as n sufficient excuse for his viola
ton Of orders. And it casts further
sinister illumination on Germany's pledge
when il announces that the German gov
eminent is unable to acknowledge any
ALLEGATION to grant indemnity, "even II
the commander should have been mis-
taken as TO the aggressive intentions OF
the Arabic
What is then left Of the assurance that
diners will not be- sunk without warning
and without safety of the lives Of non
combatants. unless the liners try to eS-
cene or offer resistance? If the com
nander Of a submarine is to be permitted
20 construe any possible movement OF a
liner as hostile, and if his decision 70
qt+ack without warning is TO be sustained
nv his government, even though his Judg-
mont NAV have been utterly at fault,
What Germany has laid down as a re-
straining rule ceases to be a rule and
ceases to guarantee any protection worth
talking about to neutrals and non-com-
batants.
The subr arine commander who sank the
,ysitania # he had thought it necessary
e. excuse himself. or his superiors had
irtimatcd that some plea in mitigation
ros desirable in order TO placate Amer'-
can opinion. could easily have imputed
= hostile movement TO the Lusitania and
then claimed that he torpedoed her IN sell
defence. But the United States would
have had no patience with such plea
In tho Tusitania note Of June 9, President
Wilson said: "Only her actual resistance
70 capt,we or refusal to stop when or
dered to do so for the purpose OF visit
copId have afforded the commander OF the
submarine any justification for so much
&C uniting the lives Of those on board IN
,oonardv. It is upon this principle OF
humanity as well as upon the law founded
unon the principle that the United states
must stand.
If we stood on it in the Lusitanla
c.se we must stand on it in the Arabic
ease Visit and search are the true
tcets If a war vessels determination to
follow the rules of warfare at sea IN
dealing with unarmed merchantmen. If
Germany is going to live up to her
pledge not TO sink liners without warn
inc or without due regard for the
safety Of non-combatants, she cannot per
NIT submarine commanders to dodge the
obligations Of visit and search by assum-
inc in advance that a liner is going to
offer resistance.
The Arabic note practically nulliiies
the pledge Of September l, and thereby
carries the controversy over neutral rights
and the immunity Of non-combatants back
10 where it rested after our last Lusi-
tania note was sent to Berlin. We have
not gotten forward. No real victory has
been won for humanity, civilization and
international justice. Germany has with
drawn with one hand what she seemed
baltingly and reluctantly to offer with the
ether.
The United Stotes cannot accept
pledpcs which are illusory. We must con
tinue at whatever cost 70 insist upon rea
guarantees, upon a policy on Germany
mart which will meet the still unsatlstiec
demands of the Lusitania notes Lead
where il may, we must put an end to the
murder of our citizens on the high seas
as an incident 70 a mode Of sea warfare
based not on international law, but OF
mere assertion Of German military
necessity
The country cannot fail TO see in the
Arabic explanation a new challenge e
American ideals and American purpose
A Momentous Reform.