New Britain herald., 1916-02-26
ITALY ASPIRES ID
 DEBATE WITH !. s.
Answer on Armed Ships Argumen-
 tatiVe and Not Conclusive
REPLY IS RECEIVED TODAY
Lansing Denies Negotiations With Germany on Submarine Crisis Will
 nOring Ambassador VOn BernStOr1f.

noring Ambassador Von Bernstortf
 Washington, Feb. 26-Secretary Lansing announced today that ono of the entente allies had replied TO his suggestion for the disarmament give the nature of the reply or to tell from which government it came, saying he probably would make all the replies public when they were received.
 Although Secretary Lansing declin- ed to tell the name of the replying power, it was learned that it was Italy and that the reply was argu- mentative rather than conclusive. It was pointed out that Italian liners gave pledges not to use their arma- ment, except for defence, when clear ing from American waters.
 Will Not Transfer Negotiations.
 With the apparent quieting down of the situation in congress, the sub marine crisis shifted back to the ne- gotiations between Secretary Lansing and Count Won Bernstorff.
 MT. Lansing said today there was no intention of transferring the ne- gotiations to Berlin, to be conducted between Ambassador Gerard and the Berlin foreign office, as was intimated in despatches published abroad, and reiterated that the state departm ent had heard nothing more from Ger many on it's request for a declaration that the new submarine campaign: would not be conducted in violation of various assurances for the safety of Americans travelling on resisting liners.
 While the situation in congress, ap- parently, is being held in check by the administrator leaders, the statedepart- ment continues to await receipt oi certain appendices to the AustrO German notice which are intended tt demonstrate that British armed mer chant ships have used theid guns Of fensive1y against submarines The. are coming by mail, and Secretar, Lansing has said that until he ha: an opportunity to study the evidence the state department would be unable to decide exactly what it's position vii be.
 President Remains Firm.
 On the situation as it now stands President Wilson is firm in his deter imitation to insist on the rights of American to travel on ships armed for defense only.
 From German sources como sugges- tions that the Teutonic governments were inspired to issue their new notice by the American circular note to the allied powers proposing disarmament of merchant ships and the German be- lief is that the allies will not accept the American suggestion.
 From British sources come the posi- tive statement that the British gov ernment at least has not rejected the American suggestion, but is consult ing her allies. The same sources point out that no British or French mer- chant ships have come into America. ports with arms since the United States expressed a preference for thetr disarmament in Septemb Der, 1915 The issue is still kept alive, however, by the attitude of the Italian government and the presence at New York of three armed Italian merchantmen and arrival in Boston of the British liner Canopic, which is said to have been disarmed at Gibraltar before making the VOyOge across the Atlantic
 State Department in Doubt
 Though technically an entirely sep arate question from that of the right of merchant ships to carry defensive the LuSitania case remains in abeyance because the state depart ment fears that the German pledges to refrain from attacking liners with out warning may not extend to fur- ther operations.