New-York tribune., 1916-02-12
Entente Stands Firm
i'm Refusal OfLan-
sing Sea Code.
MAY BOYCOTT
ALL u. S. PORTS
Vigorous Action Predicted
if Wilson Accepts Ger
man Proposal.

washington, FeD. ll.-On the eve
Of the victory" in the Lusitania
negotiations new and grave issues,
aroused by Germany's threat TO sink
armed merchant vessels without
warning, confront President Wilson.
If the President yields 10 the Ger
man stand. and warns Americans 10
stay of armed liners, serious COM
plications with the Allies will result.
II he does not yield, he will have
repudiated the sea code suggested
70 the belligerent powers by Secre-
tary Lansing.
The Entente powers will not con-
sent to disarm their merchant yes
sells. That seems certain. To them
the announcement of the Teutonic
Allies that after March armed
merchant vessels will be treated az
warships and sunk without warning
is interpreted as notification Of
the victory granted in the Lustania
case. Germany, they say, intends to
continue the practices she is disa-
yowing.
State Department officials admit
that this government has been
placed in a delicate position by rea-
son Of its note to the Allied powers
suggesting the disarmament Of their
merchant vessels. Il is feared that
i. is too late 10 withdraw the sug-
gestion and adhere TO the recognized
principles by which the Department
has been previously guided, but Off
cials secretly wish that this might
be done.
II has become evident within the
last two weeks that the move was
made in haste. without due examina-
tion of the consequences. and that it
was all grave mistake. Reports
from the Entente capitals have con
vinced Secretary Lansing that there
is no hope Of acquiescence on their
part in any such attempt TO make
submarine warfare Humanitarian
Lusitanis Victory Too Dear.
I'VE have paid too much for our
Lusitania victory-and have not even
got the victory yet.' was the COM
ment Of one official to-day who was
against the move from the beginning
Germany has been quick TO see the
advantage it offered her. She Is pre-
pairing a new submarine campaign,
and | shudder to think Of the censure
that will be heaped on this govern
nlent by all humanity when it begins.
Submarine warfare has not been
success up 10 now, but from now on
its success is assured"
In circles friendly to the Allies
the strongest resentment Is ex-
pressed. No excuse for President
Wilson's "gratuitous meddling with
the war" is seen except his desire
vheedle Germany into compliance
with his Lustania demands.
These circles saw new attemp. %
wheedle Germany to-day in Secretary
Lansing's interview with the repre-
sentative Of the semi-ofTcial Wolf Bu-
reau, OF Berlin, answering .hc German
Chancellor's statement on the Amer
ican demands
Not only did Secretary Lansing hrn
that the Administration had never
sought 20 "humiliase Germany" bu,
the same assurances were also sol
EMMY given by Chairman Stone OF
the Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee. by Chairman Flood OF the House
committee and by President Mar
shall
Guns Ships Only Protection.
"lt Is not Presiden, Wilson that has
made submarine war negligible. though
be may Ike to think So" said a sym
pa,hizer with ;he Allies to-day. "lt D.
the fear of guns on merchan, ships
that has kept the submarines az an in
effective distance from our shipping.
That Is the only way 90 make sub
marine war humane 20 protect your
ships with powder and shot and not
with phrases and notes
THE President takes away our gun.
and proposes instead ths, we enter
into a modus vivend diplomatic slang
for 'gentlemen's agreement with Ger
many. Nothing has yet been won from
Germany by words and treaties an
agreements. Germany uses ,hes'