The Washington times., 1916-02-17
LuslTANIA SETTLEMENT
DELAYED

II
Berlin attempted a bit Of sharp
practice in dealing with the United
States, and the Washington Govern
ment shows a disposition, az the last
minute, to resent It. The German
government. proposed to "assume"
liability for the American lives lost
with the Lnsitania, and Washington
was on the point Of accepting the
terms, despite that they represented
less than this country had demanded.
But Germany, apparently presum-
ing that any settlement would satisfy
America, was too hasty. Consider
ing the Lusitania affair out Of the
way, Berlin announced the policy Of
sinking armed merchant vessels
without notice. The United States
was as first understood to have in
dicated acquiescence in this, and. the
German authorities assumed that, at
the price Of settlement in the Lusi-
tania affair, they had bought our per-
mission to take the last step to utter
anarchy Of the sea.
It turns out that Germany reck-
oned without her host. The protests
which have gone up from all quar-
tiers of this country against such an
arrangement have convinced the
Washington Government, IL it need
ed to be convinced by any outside
Influence, that such terms would be
Regarded by the American people as
a humiliation. So it is now announc-
ed that the Lusitania adjustment is
suspended pending further develop
ments in the German policy.
| This means, to put it sGuarely, that
the United States is not going to ac-
cept a Lusitania settlement as the
price Of its consent to abrogation of
all rules of civilized war at sea. It
is misfortune that this country ever
got into the position of seeming to
be willing to assent to such thing.
lIti has precipitated a situation that
: Knight never have arisen, and that
! may yet make the whole question of
maritime methods more difficult than
lever. .
Right or wrong, Berlin assumed
that this country would. yield to iS7
rule about sinking merchantmen
: when armed for defense, "A great
many people in this country got the
distinct understanding that our Gov
ernment had warranted that Ger
, man assumption. There has been
: vacillation, hesitation, uncertainty
when there ought to have been stead.
fastness, assurance, and all certainty
in our policy. Germany cannot be
blamed for presuming that we meant
to yield to her, in view Of the fact
that organs of the Washington Ad.
t ministration were themselves as.
J, suming the same thing and defend
ing or preparing to defend it.
Germany has, long ago, given GER
tain promises as to her attitude to-
: ward merchant vessels. They viii
t not be sunk without warning and op
: portunity to save their companies. S,
K far, so good. The new order, which
:. it is declared will go into effec
March l., merely changes the defini
e ton Of a merchant ship SO that thii
e immunity means nothing in man!
i cases; means nothing under the oil,
n rules of war at sea. It is now pro
e posed that merchant ship carrying
armament to protect itself-a
i merchant ships have always done
q shall be classed as warship, en-
?, titled to no notice, immunity, or op
II portunity for safety.
d How will a German submarine
poking its periscope up from the sea
n know without investigation that tn
% merchantmen ten miles away i
e armed or unarmed? Will the sub
d marine commander fire his torped
first and then inquire afterward
d Will he assume, in view of the allies
: refusal to discontinue arminl
m merchant ships, that all such ship
,e are armed, and therefore legitimat
S, prey? That seems, in view of Gel
in man submarine methods heretofor,
II. reasonable supppsition.
r. If Germany shall stand by its OF
Or der, and begin campaign of runnin
n amuck on March /, then it may b
10 set down that there will present.
lg be a new crisis between this countr
On and Germany, sharper and more daI
IL gerous even than that over the Lus
ln tania at its worst phase.
va Those massed drives of the Britis
no seem to carry lot of reverse Enl
lish these days.
IL The burning question now wit
le' the q q p leaders ain the hands ,