The Washington herald., 1916-11-02
Submarine Policy Unchanged.

Secretary of State Lansing yesterday issued
the following formal statement in connection
with the sinking of the steamships Marina and
Rowanmore by a German submarine:
The fact that political campaign is in
progress will in way affect the practice OF
the department in negotiating and in making
full investigation Of cases of this sort. We
shall do it, as we always have, with as much
celebrity as possible.
l wish also to make another statement on
a matter which has been brought to my at
tention The question has been raised as to
whether the policy of the President or the
department in regard to submarine warfare
since the Sussex was sunk has been changed.
l wish to say emphaticaly that there has been
no change in any particular.
The statement by Mr.. Lansing that there has
been change of policy in regard to submarine
warfare since the sinking of the Sussex is OF much
Importance although there was sound reason
for believing that there had been a change Of
policy. The significance of his statement lies in
the fact that after the sinking of the Sussex the
United States declared its intention of breaking
off diplomatic relations with Germany in the event
that ruthless submarine warfare resumed. In
the so-called Sussex note of April 49, the United
States government said:
Immediately declare and effect an abandon
ment Of its present methods of submarine
fare against passenger and freight-carrying
vessels, the government Of the United States
have choice but to sever diplomatic
relations with the German Empire altogether.
All the information thus far received by the
State Department seems to indicate clearly that
the Marina and Rowanmore were sunk by meth
DDS that violated the pledges OF Germany-that
the ships were victims of ruthless warfare. If
this is established as a fact Germany still has a
loophole through which it may escape a break
with this country. Germany may disavow the
act, promise to punish the submarine commander
who destroyed the vessels and offer rcparation.
Whether President Wilson will consider such
disavowal sufficient to prevent diplomatic break
is a question that depends largely, perhaps, upon
the evidence in the case and upon Germany's at
titude. 1t to be the view of the administra-
ton that Germany shall not continue to kill Amer
lean citizens the high seas and escape the con-
sequences by politely disavowing the murders.
Heretofore the State Department has been unable
to learn what kind Of punishment has been mctcd
out to submarine commanders and has been
forced, in fact to content itself with the state
ment that the commander has been punished.
1t is futile to discuss the probable course
Of the administration. All of the facts have not
been ascertained and it probably will be ten days
before they in possession of the State De
partment in proper form. The facts thus far
gathered indicate that the U-boat controversy is
TO be renewed, with perhaps less chance OF reach
ing a satisfactory settlement than ever before
The election will be thing Of the past before
the President is able to take definite action and
the voters Of the country must 60 to the polls
with this question unsettled. However, it now
seems unlikely that the sinking Of the Marina and
the Rowanmore will have the effect of switching
many votes. The voters must base their opinion
Of President Wilson's foreign policy on his record
prior to the sinking of these two ships