The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-02-17
USEOFDIVERUPHELD
U. s. NOTE TO POWERS DENIES
RIGHT TO ARM LINERS FOR
DEFENSE.
GERMAN EDICT IS APPROVED
Americans May Be Warned Not to
Travel on 8eIligerent Ships Which
Carry Guns for Protection Against
Submarine Attacks.

Washington, Feb. 14.-The declara
tion by the central powers of their pur-
pose after March l next to regard
armed merchant ships as warships
and sink them on sight is in exact ac-
cordance with the new policy OF the
United States as laid down by the
American note of January Is.
1t is expected President Wilson now
will give instructions to all port Of
ficials directing them to consider
armed merchantmen as auxiliary
cruisers and to apply to them the
rules under which such vessels must
depart within twenty-four hours after
arrival or after necessary repairs are
made or stores taken on board.
1t is expected further that warnings
will be issued directing Americans not
to travel on belligerent armed mer-
chant ships.
The note, by direction of the secre-
tary of state to American ambassadors,
was addressed to the European bel
ligerents in connection with the recog-
milton of submarines as commerce de-
stroyers and the desirability of the dis
armament of belligerent merchantmen.
Its text in part is as follows:
1T is a matter of the deepest in
terest to my government to bring to
an end, If possible, the dangers of life
which attend the use of submarines as
at present employed in destroying
enemy commerce on the high seas,
since on any merchant vessel Of bel
ligerent nationality there may be citi-
zens of the United States who have
taken passage or members of the crew
in the exercise of their recognized
rights as neutrals.
While l am fully alive to the ap-
palling loss of life among noncombat-
ants, regardless of age or sex, which
has resulted from the present method
of destroying merchant vessels with
out removing the persons on board to
places of safety and while view that
practice as contrary to those humane
principles which should control bel
ligerents in the conduct of their naval
operations, | do not feel that a bel
ligerent should be deprived of the
proper use of submarines in the in
vasion Of commerce, since those in
struments of war have proved their
effectiveness in this practical branch
of warfare on the high seas.
Your government will understand
that in seeking a formula or rule ap-
proach it of necessity from the point
of view of neutral, but believe that
it will be equally efflcacious in pre-
serving the lives of noncombatants on
merchant vessels of belligerent nation
alities
my comments on this subject are
predicated on the following PROPOSE
tions:
Il. A noncombatant has a right to
traverse the high seas in a merchant
vessel entitled to fly a belligerent flag,
to rely upon the observance Of the
rules of international law and princi-
pies Of humanity, and If the vessel is
approached by naval vessel of an
other belligerent the merchant vessel
of enemy nationality should not be at
tackled without being ordered to stop
"2. An enemy merchant vessel when
ordered to do so by belligerent sub
marine should Immediately stop.
"3. Such vessel should not be at
tackled after being ordered to stop un-
less it attempts to fee or resist. In
case it ceases to flee or resist, the at
tack should be discontinued.
a. In the event that it is impossible
to place prize crew on board of an
enemy merchant vessel, or to convoy
it into port, the vessel may be sunk.
provided the crew and passengers
have been removed to a place of safe
ty.
1T would therefore appear to be a
reasonable and reciprocally Just ar
rangcment if 1t could be agreed by the
opposing belligerents that submarines
should be caused to adhere strictly to
the rules of international law in the
matter of stopping and searching mer.
chant vessels, determining their bel
ligerent nationality and removing the
crews and passengers to places of
safety before sinking the vessels as
prizes of war, and that merchant ves-
sells of belligerent nationality should
be prohibited from carrying any arma-
ment whatsoever.
Il should add that my government
is impressed with the reasonableness
Of the argument that a merchant YES
sci carrying an armament OF any sort
should be held to be an auxiliary cruis-
er and so treated by neutral as we'll
as by a belligerent government and is
seriously considering instructing its
officials accordingly"