Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-27
OvERTUR[S TO
GERMANY HALTS
DEVELOP PMENTS
United States Ready to Discuss
Matter Of Defensive Arma-
ment
3 DAYS MORE BEFORE
ORDER IS EFFECTIVE
Congress will take no action
Awaiting word from Pre-.
sident Wilson

Washington, Feb. 26.-Secretar9
Lansing indicated today that the
United States was prepared under
certain circumstances to discuss with
the German government what may
properly be regarded as defensive
armament for merchant ships. In
no events, however. according to
authoritative information tonight
will the United States be party to
such negotiations unless. it is assur
ed that the lives Of American citi
zens aboard ships armed for defen
sive purposes will not be endangered
during the course Of the discussion.
Only three days remain before Ger
man and Austrian submarine com
manders will be instructed TO treat
armed merchant ships as war yes
sells. There was no indication today
that issuance OF the order announced
in formal notification from the Cen
,ral powers for February 20, would
be postponed. although it. was ad
mitted that q pOstfonement would
not come as surprise.
Leaders in both houses OF congress
who for several days have agitated
passages OF a resolution warning
Americans not to travel on armed
ships, seemed convinced tonight that
no such measure could be put
through at present.
Object Secured Already.
Senator Gore, who has such a res
olution pending, issued a statement
saying that. while he still favored a
warning, he believed the object
sought by his resolution already had
been achieved through public discus
sion. In, s,s'.s.- u ,g%
Representative McLemore. whose
warning resolution In the house has
been kept from coming up by admin
istration leaders, said he was con
tent to wait until the president and
Secretary Lansing had opportunity to
try out their policy Of asserting the
right Of travel on ships bearing
arms.
Administration officials still we're
awaiting the receipt of the additions
to the latest German memorandum
on the subject, which contained what
Is alleged to be q copy of confiden.
tial instructions given to British sea
captains. If this document contains
what the German government claims,
it is said to be probable an inquiry
may be addressed to Great Britain
on the subject.
Germany Gives Reason.
The British government some time
ago assured the United States that
it's merchant ships would not operate
Extensively.
Germany, in it's memorandum,
gives as one of the cardinal reasons
for its determination to sink armed
merchant ships of her enemy with.
out warning, the fact that German
submarines have been fired on re-
peatedly by merchantmen which ap-
parently were engaged in peaceful
pursuit OF commerce.
The first formal reply to the Amer
ican suggestion made weeks ago for
the disarming of merchant ships
came today from Italy. It will not
be made public until all the Allies
have responded, but it was learned
that the document was not conclus.
i've but rather was argumentative.
While agitation on the subject in
congress has subsidized for the time
heing, the disposition on the part of
leaders in the movement for a con-
gressional warning seemed tonight to
be a waiting one. "r