Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-26
rERvERsIoN or FACTs.

I AtkN ' bNhAD1ON N(E BAAIlJs
e--~-.
IN it's leading editorial Of ycster~
/ day the New York World Says:
Docs tho Congress of the United
States purpose to cancel the solemn
pledge that Germany has made TO
tho Government OF the United States
and relieve Germany OF all obligation
70 keep faith with this country?
That is the only question involved
in the socalled %revolt" OF certain
nembers OF Congress against the
| Presidents foreign policy
After the sinking Of tho Arabic,
the German Ambassador, acting un-
der Instructions from the German
Foreign OfIice, gave tho following
pledge TO the State Department:
Liners VIII not be sunk by
our submarines without warn
ing ana without safety Of the
lives Of the passengers, provided
the liners do not try to escape
or offer resistance
This pledge was not restricted TO-
unarmed liners. II applied To all
liners that did not try to escape or
offer resistance"
That Is peryersion or facts The
promise made by Germany after the
sinking Of the Arabic had grown out
OF the discussion or the Lusitania I'M
cident between the two Governments,
ana in this case the main question
was. Was the Lusitania armed or
was she not armed?" The United
States government proved that the
big liner was not armed when she
was sunk by a German submarine
boat. 1t has all along been under
stood that the discussion between
!. Washington and Berlin was con-
fined to unarmed liners and mcr-
chantmen. Some time after the
sinking Of the Lusitania and tho
Arabic a British vessel, arriving
armed at the port OF Philadelphia,
was refused clearance until she had
done away with her armament, and
our State Department then came to
an understanding with the British
Government, by which tho latter
agreed to arm no more merchantmen
entering American ports.
This shows conclusively chat our
government had not understood the
promise Of Germany to also relate
TO armed liners and merchantmen.
And what Of the Instructions OF
the British Government to the Cap
tains OF the British merchantmen,
directing them TO attack German
submarines at sight?
When on February 0 the German
Government notified all neutrals that
after March |, it intended to treat
cnellly merchantmen carrying arms
as vessels oil war. it claimed to have
prove that many British merchant
men not only carried guns, but had
naval gun crews to operate them and
that these crews were instructed to
attack enemy submarines at sight.
This charge has been subsequently
repeated by the German Foreign
Minister Won Jagow in an interview
he gave an American correspondent
IN Berlin, saying
British merchantmen are armed
with modern guns; they have trained
naval gunners aboard We have
submitted proof that the English ADJ
Iuiralty have given minute and de-
tailed instructions and orders to
take the offensive against submarines
on sight We have submitted proof
OF the execution OF these offensive
instructions"
Although fortnight has elapsed
since the original German complaint
and notice Of reprisal were pub
.lished, not a word has appeared in
dicating that the slightest attention
has been paid either at Washington
Or London TO the reasons given BY
Berlin for It's proposed change Of
policy. Washington and London
confine themselves to discussion OF
the rights Of merchantmen armed for
defense, Berlin reiterates the state
ment that it has submitted proofs
that these ships are equipped for
offense and have taken the offensive.
What has become of them? Is Mr..
Wilson paying no attention at all to
such proofs Of British pcrfidy? a
controversy Of this Kind becomes
doubly dangerous when the parties
to II neglect or refuse to consider
the point actually at issue. Inter
national law recognizes the right or
merchantmen to arm for defense, but
they have no standing except as war
ships when they equip themselves
for offense. President Wilson can
not ignore that fact without placing
himself In false position. In his
letter to Senator Stone, defending
his stand against the proposition or
Congress to warn Americans against
travelling on armed passenger ships
and merchantmen OF the belligerents,
he says