The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-12
THE DEUTscHLAND's STATUS


THE DEUTscHLAND'S STATUS
On the face Of facts developed b,
Government agents who examined
the submarine Deutschland, there
could be only the decision announced
that she is a merchantmen, entitled
to the privileges and immunities OF
such.
Manifestly, It is merely an incident
that an unarmed cargo-carrying YES
sci happens to be able to submerge
II occasion requires. It is quite as
proper for a merchantmen to escape
it's enemies by submerging, as by
Outstanding them. The United
States Government can do no less
than protect the Deutschland in our
territorial waters, and insure that
she gets outside the three-mile limit
in safety when she starts for home
Admitting all this, it remains that
the Deutschland opens a wide realm
Of possibilities regarding naval war
fare and the rights Of merchant
craft. 1t has been reported that six
or eight craft exactly like the
Deutschland are building; and one
story alleged that half of them were
to be used for merchandising, the
other half in naval service.
Now, if three Deutschlands &c
forth with torpedo tubes and quick.
firers; and if three others 60 Out
with cargo and no warlike purpose
how shall anybody know them
apart? The submarine merchantmen
is no more entitled to be sunk or
sight, without warning, than is the
merchantmen that sails the surface
Of the seas. But when a British de.
stroyer sees a Deutschland pokine
its periscope above the surface, what
shall he do? II he waits to make
sure that he confronts cargo-car
rying Deutschland, he may learn hi
error all too late. and have it EN-
phasized by the. explosion of a tor
pedo against his ship. II he doesn'
wait, but fires away on sight, he viii
give the Germans exactly the pretext
they have been wanting for sinking
merchantmen at sight, without warn
| ing or safety to companies.
Again. Suppose a Deutschland b
loaded with cargo and a couple o.
six-inch guns, and sent on a tril
across the Atlantic. She might sinl
a dozen allied freighters on the way
and, arriving in an American port
calmly explain that she didn't do it
one of the naval Deutschlands wa
guilty Of all that!
Yet another case. A big subma
rine might cruise across the oceal
lanes, sinking everything in sigh
with shells or torpedoes; and then
before coming into port, drop he
guns or tubes overheard, establish
her character as a perfectly harm
less merchantmen, get protection an
supplies in an American port, an,
leave on another mission of destruc
ton.
These conjectures are not FOOLS
or extreme. They suggest some o
the problems that naval and diplo
matte authorities are right now con
sidering, and considering mos
gravely. It has been said that Ger
many is getting ready for a ne,
undersea campaign, more RELENTLESS
than any thus far undertaken. 1t
not hard to realize that a flock O
Deutschlands, some Of them frank
engaged in war activities, the othe
half pretending or actually engage
only in merchandising, might pre-
duce complication that would
most difficult to handle.
| So long as submarines were use
only for war purposes, it was a SAT
presumption that any enemy subma
rine was fair target; no need to as
questions at risk of being torpedoe
for the pains. But when submarine
are neither fish nor flesh, the
change the whole position. Their
are more difficult issues to decid
than merely whether a vessel carry
ing freight, part Of the time unde
water, is a freighter. Of course, sh
is. But that is merely a beginnin
of the trouble.