New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-14
Germans Hid Plan TO
Attack Unarmed
Liners.
u. S. TO AWAIT
AUSTRIAN NOTE
Wilson Takes Up Case To-
day-May Submit 1t
to Cabinet.

Department refuses 10 be reassured
by interviews given out in Berlin
purporting TO show that Germany's
new submarine policy will not null
lify the promise to warn liners -
The German government does not
make clear in its memorandum, it
is said here, that any distinction
will be made between passenger YES
sells and freight ships, but that APP
parently both classes of ships will
be torpedoed without warning after
March / if they carry armament of
any kind.
The question goes back TO the real
meaning of Count Won Bernstorf's
promise. given as settlement in the
Arabic case, that liners would not
be attacked without warning. The
German Ambassador has let it be
known here that Germany has al
ways considered armed vessels as
warships. and that in making the
Arabic pledge he intended it to APP
ply only to unarmed passenger YES
sells.
This understanding Of the situa-
ton makes il clear that the ruthless
campaign which Germany will In
augurate on March will spare no
enemy ship that carries arms. Tho
statements given out in Berlin, do
claring that the Arabic promise still
stands. are therefore misleading, as
they fail to point out that the Arabic
promise was never intended TO cover
armed ships.
Cabinet to Get Memorandum.
Secretary Lansing studied 10 his
home tonight the text OF the German
memorandum He will discuss the sub
iect with President Wilson, either to-
morrow. on the latter's return from his
weekend cruise, or on Tuesday. before
the Cabinet meets. II is probable that
the memorandum will be placed before
the Cabinet.
The text Of the memorandum from
Austria, similar TO that issued by Ger
many. had not arrived a. the State
Department tonight, but was momcn-
tarily expected.
II is considered doubtful that an an
nouncement of the position which tho
United states will take in the matter
will be defined until both documents
have been carefully digestcd. Between
now and the time the attitude OF the
government is made known, the state
Department may notify the reprcscn-
tatiyes OF the Entente Allies here OF the
receipt of the documents from the Cen
tral Powers. so that their government
may be completely informed on the
subject.
Ambassador Won Bernstorf's promise
that liners would be warned and the
non-combatants allowed 10 escsDe Was
accepted hastily by the state Depart
ment and instantly published as a
diplomatic victory" No attempt was
made at the time 20 inquire into the
Ambassadors real meaning, but Secre-
tary Lansing authorized the statement
that IL Seemed 10 be a substantial
recognition of the principle for which
we have been contending.'
Pledge Hid Two Jokers.
n was not long before Secretary
Lansing and President Wilson realized
that there were two jokers IN the
promise. One was the word liners"
The State Department had always in
sisted that in international law no
distinction could be drawn between
merchantmen that carried passengers
and those that did not. The other was
the failure of the note 20 make IL clear
that Germany WAS DO complete dis
agreement with the attitude Of the
United States AZ that time hat de-
fensivc armament did not make a war
vessel of merchant ship.
President Wilson knew then that by
"lners" Germany meaut only passcn-
ger ships. and that the promise, being
iucomp plete. was, consequently, unsat-
isfactory. Believing. however. that the
chance Of Americans being killed
aboard belligerent freight ships was
relatively remote he consented 10 pass
over the omission. rather than leopard
his victory"
lie knew. also. that Germany con-id-
cred armed merchantmen as warships,
and that the Arabic promise would be
a scrap OF paper a. soon as an armed
yessel was sunk. But he knew. TOO,
that there was little hope Of getting
Germany to adopt the American view,
and. rather than imperil the success
Of his diplomacy. he accepted an equiv
ocal and unsatisfactory promise.
The ISSUES that President Wilson
lodged then have now come back 20
embarrass him. He is now convinced
that. whatever stand he may take on
the new German submarine policy. the
Arabic promise is scrap Of paper A.
the Arabic promise is am that has been
obtained from Germany ln nine onths
81 diplomatic negotiation. the uulliu-
cation OF that promise signifies. II Is
believed. the total collapse OF the
Presidents diplomatic policy.