The Washington herald., 1916-03-14

were noneXistent!
In Mr. Lansng's plan or tentative suggestions,
winch were communicated only to the entente
powers it is sine qua that the captured mer-
ehantmen should not be sunk by the submarine,
unless the crew and passengers have been re-
moved to place of safety" at would, there
tore, he says, appear to be reasonable and
reclprocally just arrangement if it could be agreed
by the opposing bcgerents that submarines
should be caused to adhere strictly to the rules
OF international law in the matter of stopping and
searching merchant vessels, determining their
DeiIigerent nationality, and removing the crews
and passengers to places of safety before sinking
the vessels as prizes OF war, and that merchant
vessels of belligerent nationality should be pro-
hibited from carrying any armament whatsoever"
The merchantmen is to have no defensive ar
mament if the submarine will exercise its bellig-
erent rights according to international law.
But it is condition and not a theory with
which the world is confronted by Germany's sub
marine warfare on commerce, and already the
United States, in its note of May IS, 1915, the
case OF the Lusitania, had taken the position that
while submarines have recognized function and
VerIhed efficiency in naval warfare, their as
deStroyers of merchant vessels and cargoes with
out adjudication in courts of admiralty, or ade-
quac provision for the lives of noncombatants. is
IN violation of humanity and international law
This protest against Germany's warfare on com.
merce by submarines was expressed by the De-
partment of State in the aforesaid note as fol-
lows:
The government of the United States there
tore, desires to call the attention of the impcriaI
herman government with the
to the fact that the objection to their present
method OF attack against the trade of their enc
mics hes IN the practical impossibility Of employ
ing submarines in the destruction OF commerce
without d1sregarding those rules of fairness
reason, justice, and humanity which all modern
OPINION regards as imperative. 1t is practically
impossible for the officers of submarine to visit
a merchantmen at sea and examine her papers and
cargo 1t is practically impossible for them TO
make prize OF her; and. if they cannot put a
prize crew on board of her they cannot sink
her without leaving her crew and all on board
OF her to the mercy OF the in her small boats.
These facts it is understood the imperial Ger
man government frankly admit. We informed
mat IN the instances of which have spoken
time enough for even that poor measure of safety
was not given, and in at least two OF the cases
Sitcd not SO much as warning received.
MERCHANTMEN, as the last few weeks have shown,
without an inevitable violation of many sacred
principles OF justice and humanity.
Compare this statement made by the DEPART
ment of State Of the United States (signed, OF
all men, by Mr.. Bryant, with the following state
ment attributed to the British admiralty in re-
gard to the circumstances under which defensive
armament may be employed by a merchant vessel
in the presence OF submarine:
Experience has shown that hostile submarines
and aircraft have frequently attacked merchant
vessels without warning. 1t is important there
lore. that craft OF this description should not be
all cd to -L rL.-.xA
torpedo or bomb launched without notice would
almost certainly be effective. British and allied
submarines and aircraft have orders not to ap-
prOaCh merchant vessels. Consequently If NAV be
deliberately approaches pursues a merchant
vessel does with hostile intention. In such
cases fire may be opened in sef-defense in order
to prevent the hostile craft from closing to d
range at which resistance to a sudden attack with
bomb or torpedo would be impossible.
1t said on the floor OF the Senate OF the
United States in the recent debate by Senator
who voted with the minority, that, upon the ques-
ton of the right of merchant vessels to carry
arms for defensive purposes, international law was
perfectly clear. But" added the distinguished
Tracy, and while the reason for the law has long
disappeared, the law itself still remains, un-
reasonable as it may seem, and at the beginning
of this conflict recognized by all the leading
nations engaged in the conflict
1t is hard to understand how the learned SEN
ator could say that the reason for merchantmen
being furnished with defensive armament had dis
appeared in view OF this outbreak OF illegal VIC
lcncc in which hundreds of merchant vessels and
cargocs have been destroyed, without regard for
international law although there has been such
vast field for the legitimate military use of sub
marines by the German navy. Germany is evil
IDENTIFY uneasy about this record of hers, and jus
titles it only by way OF alleged reprisals for Great
Brtain's attempt to starve her into submission
although starvation has always been regarded as
one of the most efficient and humane OF the
means of ending war, as shown a notable oc-
casion in the opinion of one OF Gcrmany's greatest
men. The Federal government brought the South
to submission largely by stopping her supplies and
her exports and in the war with Spain the United