Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-17
COMEDIES THAT GUNS
MUST BE FOR DEFENSE
Would Leave Determination of "De.
fensive Armament" to Inter-
national Tribunal.
TEUT0Ns MAY NOT AGREE
State Department Points Out to Am
bassador Won Bernstorf That Ber-
lin Attitude Must Be Governed
Partially by Allies.

Secretary Lansing today ac-
cepted the Lusitania agreement
as acceptable to the United
States in so far as it relates to that
case, but asked Count Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassa-
dor, for assurances that Germany
will not carry its policy of sink
ing merchant ships without warn
ing to liners, even if they carry
defensive armament.
The question of what consti-
tutes defensive armament is to be
determined later, in a way not yet
agreed upon 1t is suggested that
the United States may propose
that guns mounted on the stern
of ships and capable of being
swung from fifteen to thirty de-
grees in either direction might
come within that class.
Germany May Not Agree.
It was stated authoritatively
that Germany, because of its TIN
usual position, cannot and will
not accept the suggestion of the
United States as it now stands
that liners carrying arms shall be
immune from attack under previ-
Gus assurances.
Secretary Lansing explained fully to
the ambassador the position Of the United
States in the light Of the new develop
ments and is understood to have told him
that while Germanys position is recog-
nized as well founded, the United States
must insist that Germany conform all her
practices to international law. inasmuch
as the entente allies have declined to make
any changes.
The Lusitania agreement will be kept
~ Secretary Lansing and later will be
published with the assurances which the
United States hopes to receive from Ger
many covering the points brought up by
the new submarine campaign
Embodied in Separate Note.
The new assurances. II they are given,
would be embodied in a separate note
Meanwhile. it was said the United
States would make efforts to have the
entente allies agree not to put guns
OF any kind on passenger-caryying
liners. and in turn would expect as
surances from Germany for their
safety.
II was understood that the principal
objection by the United States to ac-
eeptinE the Lusitania agreement as
governing the future was that il mere
1y referred to the assurances previous
ly given that unresisting liners would
not be sunk without warning, but did
not actually embody or reiterate them
Ambassador Won Bernstorn, when he
returned to his embassy. sent a long
dispatch to his government setting
forth fully the position of the United
States as SECRETARY Lansing had out
lined 1t to him.
Will Study the Appendices.
Secretary Lansing said today that be
fore the State Department came to .
conclusion on the effect of the new
I
study the appendices attached to the
notification which were coming by
mail. The appendices contain descrip-
tions of alleged attacks on submarines
BY merchant ships and copy of the
so-calIed secret British admiralty in
structions to masters to destroy sub
marines when possible.
The department wants to examine
the appendices also in relation to as
surances given to the United States
by the entente allies that liners sail
ing from American ports would dis
mount their guns.
German officials here came to the
conclusion today that the State Depart
ment considers that their new memo
randum has upset to some extent the
question of reprisals in the war zone
about the British Isles and also that OF
cruiser warfare in the North sea.
American officials expressed the
opinion that the submarine contro.
tersy with Germany cannot be closed
until assurances are given that the
SAFETY OF neutrals and non com mbatants
sea has not been altered nv the
latest Germanic declarations The,
fear that the United States is confront.
cd with long series Of diplomatic ex
changes and state that the situation
ts where IN was several weeks ago
when II was described as grave"
Unable to Grasp U. s. Attitude.
German diplomatic circles here seen
to be unable to understand the attitud.
of the State Department 1t was in
sisted that the German and the Aus
trian memoranda regarding the inten
tion to sink armed merchant ships wcr.
prompted by the American memoran
dunn. and that had not the latter beer
issued the central powers never wouls
have made their announcement.
Germany embassy officials declared
they could not understand why the sit.
uation should be disturbed. because
they understood the Lusitania neEotia>
tions all along were conduct ed as ap
1plying to unarmed ships. 1t was estab.