Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-26
A Vital Question of Definition.

and Congress. the three cornered threat
ching wrangle between the United
States. Germany and Great Britain. and
the present great national anxiety spring
from differences of opinion concerning
the definition of the word ''unarmed."
Americans may travel on "unarmed'
merchantmen of belligerents. and such
ships must not he attacked and sent to
the bottom without warning; and
must not he sunk at all unless pro-
vision he made to save the lives of the
Americans and others on board Under
the "hefore- this-war" rules of interna
tional law merchantmen was viewed as
"unarmed" which carried only a small
caliher gun to defend itself against
pirates. privateers and Others The ad-
vent of the submarine as recognized
and effective warship has altered prac-
ticallv the definition of "unarmed" mer-
chantmen. Under the new conditions a
ship is armed to attack and DESTROY
submarines which under the old and still
eNlStlhS ueHnltlOn was ana Is I'M
armed"
Our State Department has attempted
in the interest of humanity and in our
own protection to secure from the bel
Iigerents new definition of EARNED"
merchantmen which will fit existing con-
ditions. The allies up to this time have
cd RI comedian
many threatens to act on March ! in
accordance with her own idea of what
the new rule ought to be.
When belligerents are locked in a
struggle for life it is almost impossible
to secure agreement between them upon
any point, one or the other suspecting in
any change some disadvantage
The development of aerial and sub
marine warships and their use by both
8 helligerents have in fact nullifed many
definitions, injunctions and prohibitions
OF international law. Since cities are
now bombarded from the air the old
definition of "fortifed' and "unfortifiedr
places, and the old rule of notice of in
tention TO lombard an "unfortifed"
place have become inapplieable in the
ease of aerial attack. So the develop
ment of the submarine has unsettled the
rules framed only to meet the condi-
tlons of surface warfare. 1t is almost
impossible now to meet literally the old
rules of what constituted effective
blockade of an enemy's harbors 1t is
almost impossible, because unreasonable.
to insist upon the extension of all the
privileges of an "unarmed1 merchant
man under the old definition to a mer-
chairman so armed as to become, under
the new conditions, the most effective of
submarine destroyers.
In the beginning Americans on Ameri-
can ships under the American flag were
in effect warned to keep out of the "war
zone and told practically that no one
but themselves would be responsible for
what happened to them in that zone.
Now Americans on American ships are
safe everywhere and Americans on bel
hgerent merchantmen, unarmed against
submarines, are safe from having their
ships torpedoed under them without
warning.
There remains for negotiation the
status Of belligerent merchantmen un-
armed under the old rules, but eff
fectively armed as submarine DESTROY
ers.
Great Britain, Germany and the
United States should agree quickly
what under the new conditions con-
stftutes an "unarmed" merchantmen, in
order that the intercourse between
Europe and America may continue on
ships guaranteed on one hand to be un-
armed and guaranteed on the other
hand to be immune from attack with
out warning. Until that agreement, so
desirable on every hand, is reached
Americans, without any official prohibi-
ton or warning from either Congress
or President, should keep off these
armed "unarmed" belligerent mer-
chantmen. They should refrain for
the moment from exercising contested
right when such exercise may mean
loss Of life to them and precipitate
their country into war. On the other
hand, Germany ought certainly to post
pone the putting into active violent
operation of her own construction of
the new rules of naval warfare. And
Great Britain, in view Of the great ad-
vantage which she derives from inter
course between her shores and the
United States immune from submarine
attack without warning, should come
TO an agreement quickly with the
United States and Germany upon this
point.
Everybody is threatened with injury
If this agreement as to the definition of
"unarmed" merchantmen is not reached
The Residential Qualification.
The Senate District committee has