Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-29

French arms in the last u hours.
previous pledges which were given on
Sept. and Oct. last year. for the
safety of unresistinG liners. and then
goes on to say the German government
does not believe those assurances have
beer modified by the new memoran-
DUN.
Reviews Negotiations
During the negotiations over the
Lusitania, ii says, no mention was
made of armed merchantmen. and
that the United States in one of its
notes on the I.usitania mentioned no
armed merchantmen. Attention is then
called to the assurances previously
given. III which it is stated that liners
will not he sunk without warning pro-
Nided they do not offer resistance. At
tention also is called to the statement
of the American government in its no.
tico to port authorities that the pres
ence OF armament on board a merchant
vessel creates the presumption that
the vessel is armed for offense.
1t is stated that a submarine COM
mander cannot be expected to warn
an enemy merchantmen which has a
right to fire on the submarine which
warns it and the German government
sets up the contention that equipment
and intention to resist a warning Civ
ell by a submarine does not come with
in the definition of defensive arma-
ment
Points to U. S. Attitude
Germany contends that a similar
viewpoint was taken by the United
States anG that ii secured assurances
from the Italian government that it's
armed merchant ships leaving ports
would not fire upon submarines which
warned them.
The note then sets forth that the
German government did not issue its
new instructions to submarine COM
manderS until after it had come into
possession of confidential instructions
10y the British government to the com
lnanders of British merchantmen. 1t is
denied that armed British merchant
ships of any description are peaceful
traders and it is declared that the arm
ament on board of all of the m is to be
used especially for purposes of attack.
it thui St - IIldue tIldt austrian
submarines also have been attacked by
armed British merchantmen. which the
note declares are not conforming. and
have no intention of conforming to the
assurances given to the United States
by the British government in memo
randum of Aug. %, 1914 by Sir Cecil
Spring-Rice the British ambassador.
The German government says il can
not see how the American government
in consideration uf these facts. can re-
gard armed British merchantmen as
peaceful trading ships.
The note makes it clear that the Ber-
lin government believes its new instruc-
tons to submarine commanders are in
accord with the viewpoint expressed
by the United States in its memoran-
dunn proposing modus vivendi to the
Entente allies for the disarmament of
merchant ships.
At no place in the communication is
it suggested that American citizens be
warned to remain off armed merchant
ships. and the question of what consti-
tutes defensive armament is not
brought up although it is admitted in
various quarters that such a question
probably will be raised.
Baron Zwiedenik of the Austrian en-
bassy. called on Secretary Lansing after
Count Won Bernstorff had left and in
formed him that Germanys views as
set forth in the note from Count Won
Bernstorff, were identical with those
of his government.
As to Italian Ships
In regard to the reference made in the
note to permitting Italian ships to sail
from American ports, it was said at the
state department that it should be clear
ly understood that pledges were required
to meet special cases as they arose, and
that it was not intended to establish q
precedent or lay down a rule. Officials
also declared emphatically that Germany
had not been asked to postpone or change
the new orders to her naval comma nders.
They expressed wonder that such a state
ment had been included in the German
note.
1t was explained in Teutonic quarters
that the information contained in the
note other than that applying directly to
the reiteration of assurances given in the
Lusitania case was given for the infor-
nation of the state department., it be-
ing known that there was some delay in
receiving from Berlin the complete ap-
pendices to the German memorandum.
Italy's Explanation
From Entente diplomatic sources came
the information that what had been de-
scribed as Italy's reply to suggestions Of
the United States for a modus vivendi
prodiding for the disarming Of merchant
ships in the interest of humanity really
was a report of Italy's position as out
lined to Ambassador Page at Rome by
the Italian foreign Office and forwarded
to the state department. This was in the