Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-18
STEP TOWARD VAR
Mr.. LODGE ASSERTS


definitely IN At4tln8 1to poolt1on On III
subject, however. and referred to the
fact that an impression had become
widespread in this country that u
might yield to the German contention.
Not a Remote Inference, Hs States.
ut is not a remote inference" said
Senator Sterling. that the present at
titude Of the German admiralty IN re-
gard to the right to attack ana de-
stroy armed merchantmen without
warning was encouraged, IL not invited.
by the memorandum Of our State De-
partment to the entente powers. STAT
ing that this government was Impress
ed with the reasonableneee OF the aE-
gument that a mehchant vessel carry.
ing armament Of any sort. In view OK
the character Of the submarine var
fare and the defensive weakness o. tne
undersea craft, should be held to Do an
auxiliary cruiser.
The memorandum Of the State Pc.
pn%sh1 pr s1sfas.' wshoss rsfeTencs
to any nation involved, the proposta.
therein contained would suoordlna.e
the interests of commerce TO tho III
sequence, to the interests of that ma
ton whose strength on the high seas
lay In the superiority OF her submarine
fleet.
Cites Court Decisions.
Senator Sterling cited decisions OF
the Supreme Court Of the United states
to support his contention that mer-
chairman has q right to arm Tor DE-
tense. He continued:
"If 1t be said that some OF these de-
cisions are old and that the practice OF
arming merchantmen had fallen INTO
desuetude, reply that the last asser
ton of the principle. the right IS not
old; the latest text writer's on lnternA-
tional law announce 1t as present-day
law and our State Department treats
it as one Of the rules Of international
law, as much SO as that rule which
forbids the invasion Of neutral terri
tory by the armed forces OF oel'ser-
"Of all the peoples in the wide world
it i'll becomes us to deny Great Britain
that right now or to spend one noor IN
diplomatic haggling to secure her renun-
citation of it. Our export trade has 6een
month has been exceeding by many mil
lions the last preceding month. The
manufacturers Of arms and munitions OF
war are not the only benehciaries, but
the products Of the farm, the forest, the
mine. find foreign demand and market
never in the aggregate equaled. But
with our own poor and inadequate mer-
chant marine how would 1t have been
were she not mistress OF the sea!
Should Be Vigorous Protest.
mo: instead Of yielding to the claims
of the German admiralty, their very
mention should meet with vigorous pro-
test. Instead of denying this old right
of the seas, we should now Of all times
vie with her or any other nation in
seeking to uphold It, 1t 10 possible
some danger will be incurred. but I do
not much fear dangers will be in
creased beyond what they are at pres
ent. But 1 do know that let another
sea horror occur in which American
lives are involved. and this administra-
ton and the world will know that
there Is a real America-not supine,
apathetic and hesitating, but strong.
spond to those noble impulses of lib
erty and humanity which have been our
heritage from the beginning"
Press Reports Read Into Record.
At the close Of the addresses by Sen
ators Lodge and Sterling, Senator
Thomas read into the record the press
reports published this morning to the
effect that the United States in its SUBJ
marine controversy with Germany
complete agreement covering all points
for which 1t has contended a. to as
surances that warfare in future will be
conducted in accordance with estab-
lished principles of international law
and that the state Department regards
Germany's declaration Of intention to
sink all armed merchant ships to be in
consistent with previous assurances
given this government.
Senator Stone to Speak Later.
Senator Stone. chairman Of the foreign
relations committee, announced that he
would address the Senate some time next
week on the relations Of the United States
to foreign belligerents and also to make
some criticism Of former Senator Roots
recent address affecting the foreign policy
Of tho present administration"
Sanatcs: StoxaA aaid ha tise,as:l,& TIA