The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-17
BERLIN U BOAT
DECREE BLOCKS
LUSITANIA CASE

for defence without losing their peae..
full character.
with the ISSUANCE last week Of ,,s
new German submarine decree. however
Germany fatty tool the position tina,
armament Of any kind on n ship mads
1t n ship Of war. and as such not IN.
titled TO immunity from attack withou,
warning. What the United States nos
, means by this to limit her assurance,
OF October ) last to unarned liners. n
| she does II is aid her proposals for a
settlement OF the Lusitania case will b.
rejected.
Germany May Baik.
n was plainly intimated In German
circles tonight that Germany will M,
| submit to the new demands withou, a
long drawn out exchange ~ CORE.
/ spondence. In his connection i, was
indicated the German Government will
! not hesitate to take n leaf out Of Pres.
! ident Wilson's proposals to the Entente
Powers Of recent date. urging them
on the score Of humanity TO agree TO
disarm their merchant ships.
While IL Is true h President and Nc
advisers seem anxious 20 remove any
impression that these proposals were n.
tended as an aba ndonment by this coun.
try Of the established rule Of in,erna.
tional law that merchant vessels might
arm for defence Germany, II was ini,.
Gated. may be expected to lay stress or
the argument u forth by Mr. Lansing
to the Allies that In view of the peculls
conditions arising out Of submarine war.
fare II did not seem reasonable that
merchantmen should he allowed to carry
armament OF any kind
, II IL expected the German For.lRn
Office will quote verbatim the follow NJ
and concluding paragraph ~ Mr.
Lansing's memorandum to the Allies
81 should d hat my Government n
impressed with the re~asonableness Of
the argument that a merchantmen carry.
ing armament Of any sort In view ~
the character OF submarine warfare and
the defensive weakness OF unde-sea
craft should be held to he an AUXILIARY
cruiser and SO treated by n neutral a,
well as \ ~beli!gerent Government, ard
is seriously considering ~instructlng lts
officials accordingly"
Berlin Took an,e View.
In It's circular note OF last week 10
the neutral Powers warning % its n.
tention to attack armed merchan.ms,
without warning the German Govern.
ment. II was explained. took exactly ne
same view as Mr.. Lansing did in the
foregoing paragraph.
Even II Germany should no Dilns
TO modify her decree 80 as To- .xar,,
vessels armed solely for defence. " sas
explained tonight in German quarter,
that there would still remain 10 ba DO.
term'ned to what extent ships Nigh
arm for defence and whether the ,Iss
az such armament for defence in snv
fashion whatever would not put the sn,p
IN position OF resisting capture.
According 10 the regulations issued Nv
the United States In Septembe-. 1914
to lis port officers. to guide them n
determining wha armed ships could
clear from American ports "a merchant
vessels. tine rule laid down was that thS
guns should be mounted astern and
should not exceed SIX inches in calih-e
Tho Government nov. however. is con,
sidering reducing the maximum calibrs
TO two inches. hut ever a single '~,
inch gun, naval officers state. IL prop.
erly aimed. would he sufficient 10 sink
a submarine with n single shot. Ger
many. 1t Is thought. will take a simllsl
stand.
May Modify Decree.
In embas sy quarters u was intimats
that Germany might go SO FAR as "a
modify her decree so as 10 exempt
passenger liners armed for defence Y
the United states could obtain sssu'
ances from tho Allies that under n
circumstances would the armament ~
. used against submarines. Whether G-es'
Britain would give such assurances "
view OF her recent secret orders go Tsr
chant vessels TO fire az enemy suhrr ar ,e'
on sight is regarded as extremely doubt
full.
Aside from the situation with resre"
to Germany IL was pointed ou' 'ns''
stIll remaine 10 he seen how the tn!it6
states will proceed to act with rssre"
TO the similar decree OF Austria J. v
thought possible the state pepsg'n-''
may use the still, unsettled Ancou, con
trovrrsy as n handle on which Wv "Na'
assurances from Vienna that Austria
subna ines will not attack armed Pas
ser ger liners without warning
In diplomats" quarters generally 'h.r'
Is no effort to conceal the belief tis' M
present situation might eve" H7''
arisen hut for the disarmament p'"
posals made by Mr.. Lansing :" M
Entente Powers. especial, U Ni'N "
I've tNleUi W Wh"n WI.
Gus argument against the right - arT
merchant vessels paved the Nsy ;o' I'M
German and Austrian decress
In Other quarters the suggestion :,
made hat the sudden d.ci-io' 20 NoIo
NJ the Lusiiania s~ettlenier, md ." 'Nf'
these rev assurances may have peN'
Inspired To- some extent bS u" ,''f.''
made hS c>-Scua'or E''hI Root 1 N''
York lts' n,ght against &c V,t,'"'
Of the Admin istIation's foreign 1N. .