Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-11
ALL BELL|GERENT
SUBMARINES FREE
TOUSE j. S. PORTS
Washington Refuses to Ac-
cept Contention of Allies
That They Be Barred.
DECLINES TO BE BOUND
BY THEIR SUGGESTIONS
Surprised at Attempt to Deter
mine Rule of Action for
This Country.
ALLIED EMBA SSiES SILENT
Policy rs to Recent Raid May Ilans
ON Provisions Taken
for Safety.
ssiES SILENT

decision on the policy Of the United
states toward the C-boat raid off tho
New England coast has narrowed down.
in the view OF officials here TO n CON
sideration Of whether proper provision
! was made for the safety of persons
taken from the attacked vessels and
left at sea in small boats.
y statement of the facts has been
requested from the American naval
officers at Newport
While the President and Secretary
Lansing were in conference al Long
Branch to-day on the new aspects OF
submarine warfare the State Depart
ment disclosed that the United states
would not accc4c to the contention of
the entente allies that 'all bellirereut
submarines. whether war craft like the
L-o3 or merchantmen like the Deutsch-
land. should be denied access TO ncu-
trail waters and neutral ports Acting
Secretary Polk announced that a rcplv
! to the allies memorandum on tho sub
tect, declining to he bound by tho sur-
Sested restrictions laid down bv the
allied governments. already had been
dispatched.
On the reports of the naval officers
and masters of ships sunk. many Of
! hcials believe, depends the policy of
! the government. If they convince the
/ President that tiermany's pledges have
not been complied with. the whole sub
marine controversy. officials expect.
| will be thrown open again
/; CONTINUE THEIR POLICY
/, OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE
! The allied embassies to-day con-
! tinucd their policy Of absolute silence.
, No comment WAS made on the State
Departments announcement that this
| government had refused to acccdc to
| the allied contention regarding sub
| marines In neutral waters. Every in
dication was that orders OF secrecy
have been issued from the entente
| capitals.
The American memorandum OH use
OF neutral waters by bclligerent sub
marines. the text OF which was made
public by the State Department to-
night. declares the allies have failed
to show why such vessels should be
denied entrance to neutral ports, and
no circumstances have been set forth
| rendering the usual provisions of in
ternationnl law inapplicable to UNDER
water craft. The United States re-
serves complete liberty OF action In
| dealing with bciliSercnt submarines.
The memorandum, originally sent to
Japan OF August ~, in reply TO their
idcntc memorandum OF August % later
was also sent TO Italy and Portugal
While the allied communication WAS
published some time ago the American
reply was not given out until to-day
when the recent C-boat activities
seemed ~ make Il public statement OF
the governments position imperative
TENT or MENIORANDUM
FORWARDED no ALLIES
The text oc the Americans tnsn,nran-
dunn replying 10 that OF the allie, %cv-
crrr''ut" regarding treatment Of bcl-
IL Submarines in neutral ports ia
government Of the United States
ha ccived the idcntic memoranda OF
the governments of France, Great
Britain. Russia and Japan. in which
Neutral governments arc exhorted no,
take eiIicacious measures tending TO
prevent helliccrent submarines, re-
gardlcsS Of their use. 10 avail thcm-
selves OF neutral waters. roads,cads
and harborS.' These governments
point out the facility possessed by
such craft to avoid such supervision
or surveillance determination of
their national character and their
power TO do injury that is inherent
in their very nature" as well as the
additional facilities" afforded by hav-
ing ut their disposal places where they
can rest and rcplcnish their supplies.
WARN POWERS or DANGER
TO NEJTI,tL SUBMARINES
Apparently on these grounds thc.
allied governments hold that "suhma
rinc vessels must hc excluded from the
benefit of the rules heretofore accepted
under international law regarding the
admission and sojourn OF war and mer-
chant vessels in neutral waters, road
stcads or harbors; any submarine Of a
hc!ligercnt that once enters a neutral
harbor mus, be held there" and, there
fore. the allied governments warn
neutral powers OF the great danger to
neutral submarines attending the nari-
CATION OF waters visited by the sub
marines Of bciligerents.
In reply the government ot tne
cnitcd states must express lis surpris"
that there appears to lie AN cndcaNor
OF the allied powers IL determine tho
rule OF action governing what they
regard as II "novcl situation" in re-
spect 10 the use Of submarines in time
Of war. and to enforce acceptancc OF
that rule at least in part, by warning
neutral powers OF the great danger 10
their submarines IN waters thar may
he visited BY hcliiscrcnt aUbnarincs
In the orinion OF the govornmcn; ot 4
the United states. the allied powers
have not set forth any circumstanccss
nor Is the government OF the Cnitad s
States at present aware Of any circum-