Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-09
GERMANY WILL
OBEY RULES # .
THE ENGLISH Do
Memorandum Handed to Secre.
tary Lansing Latest Phase in
Negotiations.
SENATOR STONE DECIDES
TO POSTPONE HIS SPEECH
Declares Remarks Might Be Mis-
construed in Foreign
Capitals.

washington, March S.-COunt Won
Bernstorff today handed Secretary
Lansing long memorandum explain
ing in detail the German position in
regard to the armed merchant ships
and the causes leading up to the de-
cison of the central European powers
to torpedo without warning all the
armed merchantmen of their enemies.
Lansing and Won Bernstorff declin-
ed to divulge it's contents. Ii is I'm.
derstood to contain an allegation that
Great Britain had taken advantage
of the contention Of the United States
that Americans must be safe on de-
fensively armed merchantmen, to
have those ships act Extensively to.
ward enemy submersibles.
The German government, it is un-
derstood, comedies that as subma-
rines are new engines Of warfare,
stituted makes not provision for their
use. The German government is un-
derstood to express willingness to
operate it's submarines in accordance
with the international law prevailing
prior to the war, provided Great Brit
ain does not violate the same laws.
1t is also understood the memo
randum contends the evidence ap-
pended to the late German announce
ment proves that British ships, arm
ed ostensibly for defense, have been
instructed to act and have acted Of
fensively, and that they are not peace
full traders, as the United States was
assured they would be by Sir Cecil
Spring Rice, the British AMBASSADOR.
Began as Reprisa.
The memorandum is also under
stood to reiterate the previous decla-
ration that submarine warfare was
begun by Germany in reprisal for
the announced intention of Great Brit
ain to starve the civilian population
Of the central empires. The memo
randum is also said to refer to the
long standing friendship of the Unit
ed States and Germany, and to eX-
press the hope that the American peo-
pie will, when familiar with the eX-
plantations offered, fully appreciate
the position which Germany finds her.
self in as result of the blockade.
Lansing now has before him the ap-
pendices to the announcement OF the
new German submarine campaign,
which Germany contends will prove
that British merchant ships, armed
for defense. have been using their
guns extensively against submarines.
On the eve of the decision of how
the United States will regard the new
campaign the ambassador was in
structed to discuss the question fully
with Lansing and outline Berlin's
views at length.
Germany's position is that the arm
ed ship question is not connected with
the Lusitania negotiations, and the
state departments view is exactly op-
posite 1t is considered probable,
however, that the Lusitania negotia-
tions, which have been held in abey-
ance while the congressional situa-
tion was disposed of, might be dis
cussed again today.
The memorandum also expressed
the hope that the people of the Unit
ed States, remembering the long ex-
listing frindly relation between the
two nations, would appreciate the
German position.
Submitted to Wilson.
The memorandum was submitted
to President Wilson shortly after it's
receipt. 1t will be considered, to-
gether with other documents from
the German government, in determin-
ing what shall be the next step of
the United States in the submarine
negotiations.
There is every indication that the
administration will be in no hurry
to announce a stand as to the new
policy of the central European DOW
ers, nor to pass finally upon Ger
manys latest proposal for a settle
ment of the Lusitania case.
Echoes of President Wilson's vic
tory in the fight to end agitation in
congress over the armed ship ques-
tion were heard today on both sides
of the capitol.
Stone Cautious.
In the senate Senator Stone, chair
man of the foreign relations commit
tee, made a statement, after a con-
ference with the president, announc-
ing that because of the chances that
his remarks might be misconstrued
abroad, he would not make a speech
he had prepared for delivery tomor-
row.
From both the White House and
the state department there came dur
ing the day emphatic denials of a ru-
NOR that the administration itself in
tended to warn American citizens not
to travel on armed merchantmen.
DEFEATS TOWN TEAM
Marmarth, N. D., March S.-The
Marmarth hiQh school basketball team