New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-20
IgnoranceReal or Feigned
in Jagow's Statement,
Capitals View.
BRITISH PROMISE
SEEN AS PURPOSE
Wilson's Demands Not Met in
Limiting Scope of Under
sea Warfare.
IRON ne Tribune Bureau !


inspired story from Berlin this morn
ing. il still ignorant of the demands Of
President Wilson. Whether this igno-
rance Is feigned or not remains TO be
seen. but it is apparent that the two
governments are still far apart on the
question OF Germany's future SUD
marine policy. wei,
As understood here. President VIII
sons attitude toward the undersea war
fare of the German government is that
the accepted rules OF visit and search,
as provided by international law, must
be carried out by German submarine
commanders before capturing or de-
stroying a merchant ship. The Fresi-
dent does not say that the demands
upon which he IS insisting apply 20
passenger vessels only. lie has STOOD
bv the one broad principle OF interna,,
tional law as affecting all vessels ana
in his notes to the German government
. following the torpedoing Of the Lusi-
tania he has made this quite clear,
The German government, on the other
hand. believes that President wilson Is
/ interested in the enforcement OF inter
! national law regarding VISIT ana search
when applied to passenger shlps ana
/ neutral merchantmen only. Inc German
/ Foreign Minister frankly says so. In has
/ statement this morning he says that
enemy passenger ships viii not be
/ Subjected TO attack without warning
provided they respect the regular mari
| time code. and will be sunk only when
opportunity for safety OF the passeh-
gers and crew is given.
Neutral Merchantmen" Exempt.
raHu NJ
men, including Americans, are exempt
from interference, as stated long ago,
excent when carving contraband, and
will then be DESTROYED only under the
conditions laid down in the interna-
tional code concerning maritime war,
when provision Is made FOR the sa1ely
of those on board"
The important paragraph in Herr
Won Jaeow's statement, however, says
these two categories, restricting SUP
marine procedure against passenger
ships and neutral owned ships cover
cases wherein the interests Of the
United States may be involved, and
confne the application Of retalatory
measures 10 shipping owned by being
erents-a field which belongs to the
belligerents alone TO regulate:
II is plain TO be seen that from the
statement Of the German Foreign Min
lister printed this morning, and the
accented attitude here of President
Wilson, that there is still a divergence
Of opinion as to what the United States
is standing for. Herr Won Jagow's
statement this morning produced a
good feeling in certain quarters here
to-day, but among officials who have
studied the situation closely there was
an impression that the German gov
eminent does not intend to meet the
demands of President Wilson unless
President Wilson Is himself willing TO
make some concessions" by relaxing
his insistence that the accepted rules
of international law be strictly carried
out by German submarine commanders.
Whether President Wilson and his
advisers will do this remains to be
seen, however, for in the note Of May
IS TO the German government following
the sinking Of the Lusitania the Presl-
dent said.
"The lives Of non combatants,
whether they be Of neutral citizenship
or citizens Of one of the nations at
war, cannot lawfully or rightfully be
put in jeopardy by the capture or de-
struction Of an unarmed merchant
man."
In tne note OF juno o. 4cAtAAiHS "
/ the case of the Falaba, President Will
/ son said:
Nothing but actual forcible resist
ance or continued efforts TO escape by
fight when ordered to stop for the pur-
| pose of visit on the part of mer-
/ chairman has ever been held TO forfeit
/ the lives of her passengers or crew.
Only Merchantmen Described.
/ II will be noticed that in these two
/ quotations the President has referred
/ to merchantmen" only. He has not
/ differentiated to the extent OF saying
/ that he was insisting on the rights Of
passenger vessels only. There can be
/ only one Interpretation of his words,
and that is that they include all yes
1 sells, whether Of belligerent or neutral
nationality, and that, therefore, the
/ German government must deal with
/ the question Of its submarine policy
along these lines.
/ The promise of the German Foreign
I Minister, however, while in effect SINH
/ lar 20 the promise in the memorandum
l handed 70 Secretary Lansing by Count
Won Bernstorff, is believed by many Of
/ ficials hero not 10 90 quite as far or
| 10 be as rich in assurances as the Ger
man Ambassadors statement. II will
/ be noted that in Herr Won Jagow's
/ statement he says that even the safety
Of enemy passenger ships rests very
| largely now with our opponents;
therefore, TO provide the neces-
sary remaining safeguards for voy-
ayers by instructing masters to
avoid suspicious or hostile actions.
or attempts at perhaps best
done by revoking the orders to attack
submarines whenever possible, and the
promised reward for such action"
May Require British Promise.
This would indicate that Germany, as
already told in The Tribune, will in
sist that President Wilson obtain a
definite promise from Great Britain
that ships flying it's flag will no longer
attempt 20 ram German submarines be-
fore Germany will guarantee that even
passenger ships will not be torpedoed
without warning.
In this connection the memorandum
handed 10 Secretary Lansing by the
German Ambassador was construed
here as a shrewd piece Of diplomacy,
calculated 20 stave of any drastic ac-
ton by this government. II will be
recalled that the memorandum of Count
Won BernstoriF contained simple
paragraph from what he said was the
German governments reply 70 our last
Lusitania note. IL said that German
submarine commanders had been in
structed TO sink no more liners without
warning and without the safety OF the
lives Of non combatants, provided that
the liners do not try 70 escape or offer
resistance"