New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
The Latest Retreat.

To use striking phrase Of Mr.. Roots.
after having orandshcd fist at the Allied
powers our government IS now merely
.haling finger at them. soon it will
cease to DO even that.
On the defensive armament question the
Administration dashed blindly up blind
alley. Now it is scurrying ont again,
leaving train Of dislocated argument be-
hind.
If NJ Wilson and Mr.. Lansing arc
going to admit once more that merchant
vessels have an international legal right
20 arm for the sole purpose Of defence.
what was the use Of assaulting the Allied
powers with the suggestion that the
United States might treat such armed
merchantmen as auxiliary cruisers ana
thus DENY them ordinary commercial priv
ileges in our ports? Why make an irri-
tating threat when there was no inten-
tion 10 do anything but withdraw that
threat if it should fail to produce the eX-
pccted diplomatic effect?
The United States long ago committed
itself irrcvocably TO the theory that the
rules of international law should not Oe
amended during the course Of the present
war. except with the joint consent OF all
neutrals and all bcligerents. The state
Department made this view clear in Its
answers TO German and Austro-Hungarian
protests against the sale TO the Allies OF
munitions manufactured In the United
States. Mr Lansing has been no less IN
sistcnt upon i; than Mr. Bryan was
Yet in MS memorandum recently pre-
sented 70 the Allied governments MI Lam
sing more tnsn intimated that he and Mr..
Wilson felt that changes in the law OF
nations making il safer TO use the sub
marine as a commerce raider ought TO be
accepted by the powers whose merchant
ships are being attacked by German sub
marines.
The argument advanced in support OF
this attempt TO secure change IN the
rules of WAT Is no more substantial than
that made in behalf of the enforcement OF
AN American embargo on the export OF
munitions as matter of fairness to the
bcloagucred Tcutonic powers. Mr.. Lam
sing saws that conditions Of warfare
against enemy merchantmen have been
materially changed by the utilization OF
the highly vulnerable submarine as com
mcrce destroyer. This is true enough.
But the advocates of an embargo on munl-
tions can also claim with reason that the
conditions of this war differ from the con-
ditions OF other wars in that one group OF
hclligercnts has an access to the muni-
tions supplies of neutral nations which Is
absolutely denied TO the other group.
II doesn't matter at all how conditions
have changed or how they affect the in
terests OF either group of bellgerents Sc
long as it is acknowledged that no change!
can be made In the rules OF war while {
war Is i'm progress without the unanlmou:
consent of beligerents and ncutrals. Mr.
Lansing must have known i'm advance that
the Allied powers would not agree tC
waive any advantage possessed by them II
the way Of limiting the destructive power
of the submarine. They could easily turr
his own arguments against him If they
.aw no benefit 10 themselves in completely
disarmiug merchant ships. and it was
latuous to assume that they would not
perceive that the advantage of change
'n the rules regarding commerce raidlng
would be all on the side of Germanys sub
marines.
The threat to the Allied powers was in.
cNcusable IN itself. Ii could be interpreted
only as an effort TO throw sop to Ger
many-as qrd pro qro for Germany's
admission OF ar-admiSsiOn of the 'ille-
galty' Of the Lustania slaughter To
pay for the diplomatic victory" graciously
furnished to Mr.. Wilson by Berlin oul
state Department volunteered 20 rid IN,
merchant ships of Germanys enemies OF
the defensive armament which the unar
morcd submarine still Justly fears
This discrcditabIc piece Of hucksterin.
fcll through because everybody knew tha
the Administration would not make it,
threats good that II could not repudiat
It's own reasoning and defy American
entimcnt by actually declaring arme,
merchantmen to be auxiliary cruisers
Nhcn the pinch came there was nothing
lor the State Department TO do bat re
verse itself II has now gone back e
an acknowledgment Of its duty TO protec
ihc rights Of American citizens travelling
dcfcnsycly armed merchantmen. Ii
gould have known chat it could do moth
- else
The country cares little al this stage for
ay diplomatic victory" over Germany
ach Mr. Wilson and Nlr. Lansing may
ric out But IT demands with all the pas
-,nrato nnrnnainnrs .rhich nn,r .lire n lhnf