The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-03-01
FORMER PLEDGES TO RaD.
GERMANY ASSURES \ UNITED
STATES THAT TT WILL ABIDE
~ RY PROMISES.
Count Won BernstOrff Instructed by
HIS Government to Present Teuton-
ic Views Oh Armed Merchantmen to
State Department.

&c Views on Armed Merchantmen to
State Department.
Washington, Feb. 27.-Germany has
instructed Count Won Bernstorff to in
form the United States government
that the assurances regarding the fu.
ture. conduct of submarine warfare,
given In the Lusitania end Arabic
cases, still are binding, but that they
apply only to merchantmen of a
peaceful character. The German gov
ernment Is understood to contend that
armed merchantmen have, without
regard to the nature of their arma-
ment. shown themselves not to be
peaceful, and therefore are subject to
without warning.
The instructions direct the German
particularly to tell Secre-
sary lansing that British merchant
men armed ostensibly only for de-
Tense carry guns for the special pur-
pose OF attacking German submarines
To- support this claim the Berlin for
eaSn office has sent the ambassador
FOR presentation to the state depart
ment a list Of at least 20 instances
where it is claimed British merchant
ships have attacked submarines.
Confidential advices from Berlin
state that German and Austrian SUBJ
marine commanders have received
their new orders and that from mid
night Tuesday they are authorized to
sink without warning all armed mer-
chant ships Of Germany'a enemies. It
was said also, that many Of the SUBJ
marines probably had left their bases
on cruises. and that even should the
United States request the postponing
OF the opening Of the campaign it
wonld be impossible to get word to
many OF the submersibles. While
Count Won Bernatorr declined to dis
cuss the instructions from Berlin, it
b; believed the ambassador will pre-
vent them orally to Secretary Lansing
tomorrow. They will not. 1t was said,
take the form OF note unless Sec
retary lansing desires It. The Ger
man ambassador will lay much stress
upon assurances regarding the arm
Ing OF merchant ships which were
given to the United States by Great
Britain in q memorandum signed by
Eir..C Cecil Spring- Rice, the British am
oassador. on August %. 1916. In this
the British ambassador wrote the fol.
lowing:
Il have been instructed at the same
time by his majesty's principal Sec
rotary Of state for foreign affairs to
rive the United States government the
fullest assurances that British mer-
chantmen will never be used for pur-
poses OF attack. that they are merely
peaceful traders armed only for de-
Tense, and that they will never fire
unless first fired upon and that they
will never under any circumstances
attack any vessel"
Germany claims that Great Britain
has deliberately violated these assur-
ances, and Secretary Lansing will be
10 informed.
; Ambassador Won Bernstorff's atten-
ton also has been directed to the
American memorandum of September
ts. 1914. to port authorities which de-
line for their benefit defensive arma-
ment. In this document it was stated
that 1.-The presence Of armament
and ammunition on a merchant
vessel creates the presumption that
the armament is for offensive pur-
poses. but the owners or agents may
overcome this presumption by evil
dence showing that the vessel carries
solely for defensive pur-
pOses."
%"e oeTHl government Is SAID TO
realize that should it sink an armed
ship. upon 1t will rest the burden OF
proof regarding guns, but to contend
that upon, the government owning the
ship would fall the burden of proof
regarding the non-offensive character
OF, the armament.
Ambassador Won Bernstorff Is un-
derstood to have been given no in
to request from the United
States definition OF what it considers
defensive armament. He Is UNDER
stood. however. to have prepared to
discuss the question with Secretary
Lansing should 1t be brought up.
In this connection confidential ad-
vlCQa from RapItv, And{poto fhnt <hn