Evening journal., 1916-02-11
washington WILL
WARN americans
OFF ARMED ships
Cannot Protest Teutonic Pol
icy to Sink Gun Carrying
Merchantmen in Future
JOINT DELIDERATION
OF QUESTION POSSIBLE
By The United Press.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.-THE
United States, it was stated on high
official authority today, cannot pro-
test the announced sea policy of the
Teutonic powers to sink armed mer.
chantmen without warning.
That this government believing the
Teutonic nations to be within their
rights in this respect, shortly will
issue warning to all its nationals
not TO travel on Jelligerent ships that
carry guns Of any kind. seemed GER
tain.
This attitude must be taken. many
officials declared today. II Americas
attitude is TO continue TO he logically
followed out.
The American attitude regarding
arming of 1erchantmen. it became
known for the first time today. was
clearly set forth in tho informal sug-
gestion recently made TO the Entente
Allies concerning the absence of con
ditions now which IN earlier times
we're the excuse for arming OF mer-
chantmen. These reasons were pres
ences OF privateers and pirates on
the high seas.
None of the powers addressed Sec
retary Lansing said today. have re-
piled to these suggestions. He said
he assumed their Delay was caused
by the obvious necessity of Joint de-
liberation OF the question. The Eng.
! lish. however, unorncially have oX-
pressed themselves unalterably OPP
posed to any suggestion that would
/ put their merchantmen . the mercy
OF submarines In informal statements
high officials at British embassy have
indicated their belief that England
aud her Allies never would consent
to this.
d. Despite this known opposition. Il
i, was admitted at the State Department
today one of the effects Of the Teutoi
decree will be announcement that thil
p government will abandon its receT
Z temporary rulings regarding arme,
II merchantmen. even In the event Il Il
known German commerce raiders ar'
at large on the high seas.
In this respect a statement made
b informally by a prominent British Of.
fetal recently is interesting. This
official pointed ont that Il would be
entirely within the bounds OF pos
} sibility for a submarine to sink an un-
armed merchant ship and get away
with the charge. whether true or un-
? true. that the snip carried armament"
I A pronouncement from the State De-
partment accepting the German and
B, Austrian classification Of armed ships
} as war vessels. would mean that such
liners could not enter American ports
more than once every six months and
7 that they would be ordered TO leave
within "a hours.
. officials today admitted that under
I such conditions American goods, eX'
cepting those urgently needed by tbs
/ Entente Allies, might be held up in
definitely in port through dearth o.
. bottoms. They admitted they see M
3 way at this time for the United States
TO prevent the Entente Allies from
= ordering merchant ships of those ma
= tionalities from refusing TO TAX
American cargoes. Retaliation by tn
J.. United States. they said. might TAX
r the form OF an agreement amon
n. American manufacturers to sell n
. goods to the Entente Allies. not evel
war munitions. unless Allied mer
r chant ships were permitted TO carr
). goods consigned to other than hom
o ports.