New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-15
From The Tribune Buresu.l


Washington, Feb. 14.-German dipio-
mats here express the view that 'he
United States and others Of the neutra!
powers arc urprogressive in striving TO
retain the hitherto accented interpreta-
ton of the right Of search with regard
to submarines. The Germans contend
that the advent of the submarine IN
warfare has nullified certain estap-
lished international conventions with
regard to the right of search and the
rights of the ships of belligerent ma
tions to use neutral ensigns rs ruse.
Further, the Germans Will insist IN
their representations to the Cnited
States and The Netherlands. and later
to the three Scandinavian nations, that
the fact that Great Britain has armed
her merchantmen IN many instances
makes extra-hazardous the WORK OF the
submarine, particularly when the mer-
chairman of the belligerent--an this
means particularly Great britain-is
fying I'm ensign which is the recog-
nized designation Of friendly power.
The following hypothetical case is ad-
yanced rs illustrative of the change In
sea conditions brought about by the
submarine:
Suppose a British merchantmen
armed with few quickfiring guns is
overhauled by a German submarine.
| Over the taffrail of the Britisher flies
the Stars and Stripes of America, or
the red. white and green OF Italy. and
| the submarine, rising to the surface.
signals a demand, Send a boat here
with your papers" 1t is perfectly pos
sible for one Of the quickfrers to be
trained on the exposed portion of .he
submarine, and a single shot might put
her instantly out Of action and prob
ably sink her.
As O corollary of this sea problem
there is also presented the suggestion
that the submarine, should she steam
alongside the merchantmen with the
intention Of putting an officer aboard
to review the ships papers. would sub
lect herself to the danger of bomb or
grenade being dropped over the side.
oemolshing her instantly.
In view of these contingencies, which
must confront every German subma-
rine, the German government is ex-
pected to urge upon the United States
that the old ruse of flying false ensigns
is no longer an excusable usage. Ger
many will intimate further that when
/
the false flag is even less admissible,
as II will render them no longer peace
full ships engaged in a wholly civil
employment, but suxiliaries Of the bel
ligerent navy.
On the combination Of these two
arguments Germany is expected to
build her excuse for the war zone de-
cree. She will ask the United States
and the other neutrals to make strong
er representations 10 Great Britain ,re-
garding the use of fictitious flags, and
she will also suggest an inquiry as ia
the extent to which British merchant
men are armed. The Germans are in
sistant that the offer Of rewards ia
such British merchantmen as may &C
complish the running down of sub
marine constitutes another suspicion
that the merchant vessels of Britain
are more or less auxiliaries in the war
German opinion inelnes TO the belief
that the sinking of one of the great
Atlantic liners is unlikely to result
from the enforcement of the war zone
decree. IL is pointed out that the de-
sire to shut of Great Britain's source
of supply would be effected only in 8
small measure IL all the liners were
destroyed. It is the non-passengei
carrying cargo boats which convey te
Britain her foodstufs, her cotton, heI
petroleum and her bulky necessities o,
daily consumption that are sought.
The danger to neutral passengers ant
the inhumanity Of the suggested At
taeks on liners carrying them are, how
ever, considerations Of which the Ger
man government is not unmindful. Fol
this reason the carrying Of false eolorl
by the Lusitania. the 0rduna and Other
vessels Of the transatlantic passenger