The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-03-05
What IS a War Vessel?
Leave it to Emperor William


The following cab1egram has been sent
to newspapers of the United States for con-
sumption by the American public; rather,
we might say, to puzzle the American
public:
Berlin-The German foreign office
is puzzled at the position taken by
President Wilson that submarine at
tacks on armed merchantmen will con-
stitute violations of international law.
1--WE do not know what your presi-
dent means" said the foreign office of
ficials who commented on the situa-
ton. Surely he has not received the
Woodfe1d proof (referring to the
seizure on the British steamer Wood
field of alleged instruction to British
merchantmen to attack submarines.C
''Will Germany reply to these state
ments?' he was asked.
President Wilson could not have
had Our data when he wrote this let
ter" he repeated "Surely by arming
merchantmen and instructing them to
take the offensive against submarines,
the allies violate international law
first, thereby endangering American
lives"
Even if it is true that such instructions
were given by the allies to their merchant
men, that does not alter the contention
that it is violation of international law
for Germany to blow up armed merchant
men and liners without warning. If it is
true that armed merchantmen are prepared
to defend themselves against submarine
l., -
because the said armed merchantmen are
not ships of war.
A nation at war has right to attack and
sink, without warning, only vessel of war
What is vessel of war? international
law explicitly defines and describes it. For
tunately, Emperor William himself, with
his own hand, wrote that explicit definition
and description. Here it is, the exact text
as unanimously agreed to by the Hague
tribunal on Oct. Is, 1907:
Convention relative to the CONVEX
sion of merchant ships into warships:
BY His Majesty, the German En-
peror, king of Prussia, etc.
A merchant ship converted into
warship cannot have the rights and
duties accruing to- such vessel, unless
II ID p1dCCu lllC IICCl duIIlOl1Iy5
immediate control and responsibility
of the power whose flag it flies.
''The crew must be subject to mill
tary discipline.
Every merchant ship converted
into warship must observe in its OPP
erations the laws and customs of war;"
Thus international law describes exact
ly how a merchantmen must be converted
to make it warship. It must be directly
Under the authority of the navy depart
ment, commanded by naval officers, oper
ated by crew under navy discipline and i
cannot be operated as a merchandise anc
passenger ship because it's business is wa,
and not trade. Unless it is all these it can
not be treated as warship and blown III
without warning.
So long as this is international law, mad,
so at the direction and by the consent O
all nations, no one nation can repeal it. TIL,
United States, which is the great neutra
and one of the nations which made the law
cannot permit it to be repealed except b.
the consent of all.
The Berlin foreign office knows all thi
perfectly-understan it as thorough,
we'll as does President Wilson. 1t is mere1,
trying to puzzle the American people b.
sending them such statements as the fore
oroiny cab1aoraYn