The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-11-02

Washington, Nov. Special Cor
respondence-It is beginning to dawn
upon the observant mind here that
President Wilson's great diplomatic"
victory" in the submarine controversy
with Germany lacks several essential
elements of completeness, and that
the only thing accomplished has been
a mitigation-and only a partial nit
igation-of the difficulty In fact, it
is now appreciated that the note to
Germany in the case of the William
p. Frye has conceded quite as much
as it has gained. In that note the
president agrees to the adjustment of
the damages for the obstruction of
the William p. Frye by German and
American representative with a ref
cree. He also agrees to an arbitra-
trail Interpretation by the Hague tri-
bunaI of the provisions of the treaty
of 1928, under which the United States
contends that Germany is prohibited
from sinking unresisted American
ships under any circumstances.
Germany informed the United
States few weeks ago that pending
the arbitration it would not harm
American vessels carrying conditional
contraband, but would reserve the
right to sink American ships carrying
absolute contraband.
Although, according to the Ameri-
contention, the sinking of
American ship carrying even absolute
contraband would be a violation of
the treaty, the president now has
yielded consent to the German decla-
ration of intentions pending the ar
bitration, which will not be concluded
till 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 non-com-
batants aboard shall be removed to a
place of safety otherwise than in the
small boats.
This stipulation revives the whole
question of the use of the submarine
against merchant vessels. The Ger
mans have contended that the presi-
dent has admitted that it is impracti-
cable for a submarine to remove per-
sons from a merchantmen to the cap
tor vessel as contemplated by the rule
of internationl law. The presient 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
aapantipu accurapoac oiuap in tho cot
Element of the Arabic case President
Wilson tactically acquiesced in the
understanding that Germany, while
refraining henceforth from attacking
passenger liners without warning, is
at liberty to sink freight vessels on
sight
This leaves open the entire question
of the protection of American lives
AS the situation stands at present, the
German ambassador, in a personal
letter, has promised that his nation
will pay damages for the two Ameri-
cans drowned on the Arabic, and that
henceforth submarine commanders
will be forbidden to attack liners"
without warning. What the word
liner" means has not been difined as
yet
All of this goes to show the presi-
dents weakness when he measures
his wits against those of other coun-
tries, and we may expect in the future
that if our vessels should carry moth
ing more dangerous than water, a
blow-up can be expected by either
England, France or Russia on the the
DRY that the German army might need
drinking water, or the water contain
properties with which Germany would
manufacture explosives, and following
out the PRECEDENT laid down in the
William P. Frye case can not be abon-
doned unless the Washington admin
istration comes out decidedly against
Germany