New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-18
Secret Orders Cited by
Berlin Justify Aiming
of Merchantmen.
SHIPS COULD USE
EVEN BIGGER GUNS
vo;ser's Memorandum Proves
Several U.Boats Were Struck,
but Not Sunk.

rrr1u NE tribune BUREAU
Washington. March l7.-Germany' IS
,rp eyidencc justifes Great Britain in
ming merchantmen, Administration
-s.;sls say. The recent German mem
,,sndum concerning the purpose 20 at
az armed merchant ships, with APP
,.,dees containing the British secret
dr. vas made public by the Stat
nsrartmen. to-day. Not only are the
allies Justified iu arming their meI-
liant ships. many officials say, but the
..uld properly use larger guns than
.,sv seem % have used.
The memorandum received from Ber-
"a, is radically different from the sum
r,ry submitted by Ambassador Won
a,,,s,orT several weeks ago. The am
..,,sdor stated that before merchant
-, were attacked the presence OF ar
amen, would have to be proved
Tao Foreign Office version makes no
mention Of this.
The point for the United States 10
;,.srmine is whether the merchantmen
II the Allies are armed Extensively OF
s,ien,iyely. Il their armament IS
.ssp,ive. they are IN fact auxiliary
.,u;sers. and are not entitled TO warn
Nc Their crews and passengers are
r.esrded as belligerents, and can claim
,e rish, 70 be placed in safety before
he vessels is destroyed.
Il however. the vessel is defensively
armed. this government considers that
+, !. entitled 20 all the .mmunities
r,,n,ed 10 unalmed ships. The ship
aus, be warned and given an oppor-
sri.y 10 surrender before being a.
eek,d. If il does surrender, even after
.,ss,arcs or attempted fight, tho non
enbstan,s on board must be placed IN
.sie,7 before the ship Is destroyed.
Defining offensive Action"
Secretary Lansing has defined Of
,sngve action ar attacking an enemy
,s;sel purely for the purpose OF de-
s,royirr the enemy. and not a. meas
- Of self-protection." lie believes
"a. when @ submarine appears IN the
tvrse O. q merchantmen that IS not
.s,uallv seeking submarines TO destroy
,sr is Intentions must be regarded
Is hostile. The merchantmen rs there
fore entitled 90 open ire m self-Oe-
.lnee. Opening FIRE 81 such circum-
stances IS no. offensive action. and
j0ss rot give @ merchantmen an Of
.,nsiye character and render her liable
% Be treated Is an auxiliary cruiser.
The British secret orders" make Il
5sin that British merchantmen are
70. Extensively armed. as this govern
rent understands The term. They ia
,,ruct armed merchantmen 20 FIRE only
ghen u s plain that q submarine .has
hostile intentions, even recommending
Ia: fire be- withheld until the subma-
me approaches nearer than 500 yarcs,
81 less than half a mile.
III submarine Is obviously pursu-
" ship by day the instructions
ay. "ard t is evident 20 the master
lat she has hostile intentions, the
nip pursued should open fire IN self
isieLce. notwithstanding the suOina-
'.ne may not have committed den
lite Hostile ac-, such as firing a qua
sr torpedo"
Germany chief reliance is on this
isuse. ln the opinion Of state Depart
1ent officials. however. II IS decideQIy
favorable % the British cause. IN
i;esd Of taking advantage OF the righ'
. ire on sight. on the reasonable pre-
sumption that the submarine mas nos
lie intentions. the ship master is or.
isrsd 20 fire first only IN case o.
itigal pursuit
Nineteen Cases Cited.
Germany cites nineteen cases IN
yhich submarines have been fired on
" merchantmen. The details OF the
iitscks arc meagrc, end IN most cases
ne merchantmen are anonymous. III
20 case does Germany own account
the Circumstance show that the
nfrchsntran acted extensively.
On the other hand. submarines were
cruek several times by shells witnoLs
,tng sunk, an Indication that the runs
sec were too light 20 be enectlNe'
)fcia.s believe that Germany has
proved tire necessity OF using larger
;1ns on merchantmen.
The list Of cases cited, the German
renorandum says, "can. from the nat
re o. the matter, inc u0e only part
the sitacLs which were actually
made" TINS Is taken as an indication
nat many German submarines have
'esr sunk by armed merchantmen, ana
would account Tor the relative inactv-
y o. German submarines ~ recent
1onihs ard the German declaration
nsi armed merchantmen would be
-nt without warning.
ne state Department is ready 70
'Cee With Germany that a submarine
ammo. WITH safety give warning 20 a
hsrchantman which carries adequate
Hmsment. II Warning IL given, the
"trchartman is entitled % reply with
f-hlre. the warning itself being Ger
IN indication that the submarine IN
sstes ne destruction Of the vessel.
ne ugft % arm rests on the recog-
.1se rlgtt 70 protect private property
,fa from destruction or confscation.
70 deprive merchantmen Of arma-
,ni' therefore, would place every mer-
ehtnsn az the mercy o. submarines,
pa would give one bel'igerent the OPP
Stishity - prey With impunity on the
,.p'fiy " private citizens o. Us
ne Tact that a submarine i' too
"a" - fetft gunlre does rVt alter
care ".O var vessel" Secretary
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