New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-10
LANSING Asks Britain for "Secret Ordrs to Armed Ships

British Orders in Council. and before
the commission Of any OF the alleged
illegal acts" against which the sub
marine campaign was said by the Ger
man memorandum yesterday TO be a
reprisal, the British Embassy made 3
public statement here to-day 70 dis
count the German document.
The British reply to-day was direct
ed to the public. 1t followed the same
course as the German memorandum
however, in that it was submitted TO
the State Department for approval be-
fore being made public.
The last prop has been knocked from
Under the German argument. IN the
opinion of many officials, by Ambassa
dor Spring Rice's reply to the charges
Of the German memorandum, HIS
statement proves, they declare, that
the plea of "reprisal" was merely an
excuse trumped up long after the sub
marine campaign began, designed TO
divert the attention of neutrals from
The lawlessness Of submarines 20 the
alleged depredations of the British.
1t is asserted the justification al
leged by Germany for the declaration
Of war zone around the British Isles
is shown to be without foundation.
Germany contended that as Great Brit
min had already proclaimed danger
zone," and had warned neutral shipping
70 avoid it, Germany's submarine
zone" was a legitimate reprisal. The
embassy point. out that the danger
zone was proclaimed because Germany
Tad sown mines on the high seas, con
trary TO international law, and had in
This manner destroyed many innocent
vessels, neutral as well as British.
British Statement Issued.
The British statement follows:
According to the German statement,
German submarine warfare was en-
forced Oh February IS, 1915, as an act
Of reprisal against illegal acts OF Great
Britain.
"The Amiral Ganteaume, with 1000
unarmed refugees on board, mostly
women and children, was torpedoed and
sunk by a German submarine on Oc-
tober 26, 1914. Two British mer-
chant vessels were torpedoed without
notice on January 30. and the British
hospital ship Asturias fired at with a
torpedo on February /.
"The illegal acts complained Of are
apparently the non-acceptance of the
London convention Of 1909, the en-
largement Of the list Of contrsband.
the warning to merchantmen as 20
mines in the North Sea and the capture
Of the Wilhelmins, with foodstuffs, on
February Q.
"The Declaration OF London OF 1909
was never ratified by the British gov
eminent and was never binding on
them. One Of the reasons Of the nom
ratification Of the convention was the
claim Of the German government as 70
the right to treat foodstuffs as contra
band.
"The enlargement Of the list OF con-
traband is an acknowledged belligerent
right; the warning to merchant vessels
in November was due to the fact that
the Germans had sown mines IN the
high seas, resulting In the destruction
of many innocent merchant vessels,
foreign AS well as British. .
"The Wilhelmina, with a cargo OF
foodstuffs for Hamburg, was stopped
only after the German cruisers had de-
stroyed the Dutch vessel Maria (Sep-
TENDER, 1910 and the Frye January,
1879, which were conveying grain from
California to Ireland"
McCumber Resolution Withdrawn.
In the Senate to-day. Senator Nc
Cumber, Of North Dakota, withdrew his
warning resolution. He said:
an view Of the rather sharp turn OF
affairs in the last twenty-four nours,
fnd in view OF the fact that IL has been
authoritatively stated that seagoing
Americans will soon find themselves
warned effectively as II the Gore or Nc
Lemore resolutions had been adopted,
and in view Of the new proposals re
garding the question which has been
made by foreign powers, tending tow
ard the settlement OF the question any
resolution on the subject would at this
time be improper" said Senator Nc
Cumber, "and embarrassing TO the
State Department in its negotiations"
Senator Vardaman, Democrat. late
to-day made a speech attacking the
Administration and declaring that the
recent action Of Congress in tabling
warning resolutions constituted, not
votes Of confidence. "but votes Of
obedience 70 meet the exigencies Of
party politics."
Replying to the argument that agita-
ton in Congress handicapped the
President in his diplomatic negotia-
tions, the Mississippi Senator said the
public to-day was in greater danger on
account of executive domination OF
Congress than from interference by
Congress with the President.
"The executive and the legislative
branches are coordinate forms OF gov
eminent, both designed TO serve the
American people," he continued. Men
of high station too often are dulled
by too great conception of the dignity
Of their Offices. ] am willing 20 con-
cede the President thinks he is vested
with the power he 'abrogates to him
self, but | am unwilling to delegate
70 the President or to any one else the