The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-02-24
DECIDED STAND
TAKEN BY LANSING
10 Compromise in The Armed
Ship Controversy.
BERESTOHFF SEES LANSING
German Ambassador Aftcrwnrd Notifies
His Government OF Stand Taken
BY United States AS Outcome
or Latest Lusltanis Note.

washington.-The United States, in
its submarine controversy with Ger
many, will accept nothing short Of a
full and complete agreement covering
all the points Tor which Il has con
tended as to assurances that the war.
fare in the future will be conducted in
accordance with the established prin-
ciples OF international law.
In announcing that fact Secretary
Lansing let It be known that the State
Department considers Germany's dec.
laration Of It's intention TO sink with
out warning after February 20 all
armed merchant ships OF the Entente
Allies to be inconsistent with the as.
surances previously given this Gov
ernment by the Berlin Foreign Oflce
The tentative communication de-
signed TO end the Lusitanla case, stiH
in the possession Of Secretary Ian
sing, win not be formally accepted
until such assurances regarding the
future are given, although the com
munication In so far as Il relates to
the Lusltania itself is acceptable.
Holds Up hneona Settlement.
State Department officials also con
slider that the Austro-Hungarian mem
orandum regarding armed ships is not
in accord with the assurances given
by the Government In the negotiations
over the sinking Of the Italian steam
ship Ancona. Consequently final set
tlement Of the Ancona case, once post.
poned because Of the doubt regarding
the circumstances OF the sinking of
the British steamship Persia. probably
will be withheld until Austria gives
similar assurances to those now re.
quested from Germany
The views Of the United States
were explained in detail by Secretary
Lansing to Count Won Bernstorf, the
German Ambassador. The Ambassa-
dor was informed, Il was indicated at
the State Department, that the United
States desires the German declaration
regarding armed merchant ships to be
modified.
1t was declared at the department
that at no time had suggestions been
made to the German Government
which would have led It to issue its
latest memorandum. This answered
statement made by German officials
that the American memorandum to
the Entente Allies suggelting a modus
vivendi for the disarning Of merchant
ships was the direct cause OF Germany
issuing her declaration. From other
sources outside the department came
the information that the department
had been advised informally Of the
German intentions in this respect
Considering Brltalns Assurances.
The State Department is carefully
viewing from various angles the assur-
ances given in the early days of the
war by Great Britain to the effect
that TIE guns on her merchant ships
would be used only for defensive pur-
poses. II was admitted that the de.
partment has in It's possession infor-
nation charging that since the assur-
ances were given certain British mer-
chantmen have used their armament
for offensive attacks on German sub
marines. The information came
through German sources and is not
regarded as being conclusive evidence.
Officials are now awaiting the re-
copt Of what Germany alleges to be a
copy Of secret instructions given by
the British Government to the COM
randers Of merchant ships. This
document and others appended to the
text Of the German declaration have
been mailed from Berlin.