The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-22
THE SUBMARINE, AND ARMED
MERCHANTMEN

A Berlin newspaper makes the an
nouncement, which will surprise no
body, that the submarines are here
after to attack, without. warning or
provision for safety, all armed COM
mercial and passenger ships, with
out regard to pledges heretofore
given to the United States. In the
announcement there is a cynical tone
which suggests how valuable are
pledges from certain quarters.
eve now have facilities" says this
comment, "for extending the under
sea boat warfare which all sensible
people have long recognized as UNI
avoidable and indispensable"
The promise, then. in the LusiE
tania case, was made for convent
ence's sake, to be broken just as soon
as facilities" might be provided TO
make unrestrained war effective.
The humanities, the decencies. the
solemn pledge, the fact that defen-
sive armament has always been per-
mitted to merchant ships, count for
nothing. "We now have facilities"
ergo, we will scrap the pledges and
use the facilities.
Unrestricted warfare on merchant
shipping armed for defensive pur-
poses would bring a new crisis on the
sea very shortly. Britain and
France, realizing from expensive ex-
perience that the Lusitania pledge
has been whitfield down TO mean
ingless formula. are arming all their
merchant vessels. The new first lord
of the admiralty. Sir Edward Carson,
declares that So far as he knows
all the neutrals agree with him In in
sisting that armed merchant ships,
using their armament merely for de-
Tense, are entitled to all rights ac-
corded to unarmed ones. Certainly
the United States will agree in this
view. for American merchant ships
have always been upheld by their
Government in using armament for
such purposes. II has been rs sacred
rs the right OF the householder to
defend his home against the criminal
intruder. As we'll insist that a citi-
zen might not resist burglar, or
keep n revolver in the house in case
Of need. ms to deny TO the master Of
merchantmen the privilege Of de-
Tending his ship in any way possible.
There has been n curious effort
on the part OF some German au-
thorities TO uphold the right OF a
merchantmen to carry guns aft, so
that she might use them for defense
in case Of stern chase, hut
to deny the right 10 mount them
forward, on the theory that the mer-
chairman thus armed would be
equipped TO chase submarines. De-
NAL of such n mild innovation seems
strange, when il Is entered by a
power that has tried to revolution
ize all naval warfare, to the ex-
clusion Of all the humanities, by its
use Of submarines.
IL II be correct that all the neu-
trails agree with the British view
that merchantmen may arm and
defend themselves, then the recent
activities Of neutrals become
possible OF understanding. Holland,
Norway. Sweden, Denmark and
Switzerland have been reported try
ing TO organize some cooperation
among neutrals for safeguarding
their common interests. All these
countries save Switzerland have
been fearful sufferers by reason OF
the German submarine attacks on
shipping. II may well be presumed
that their grievances are closely
parallel TO those which Secretary
Lansing has in mind when he says
this country has been brought "a
the verge Of war. Germany is de-
termined to make war TO the last
shred Of resources, the last instru'
ment of destruction; the allies can
not do less than accept the chal'
lenge.