The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-10-11
i. {. WILL not
BAH J. BOATS
FROM|TSPORTS
SENDS REPLY THE,
ALLIED GOVERNMENTS
Sees No Circumstance That
Warrants Change Of Inter-
national Law.


The text of the American mcmoran-
dunn replying to tina; of The allied soy
ernmentS regarding treatment OF bel
ligerrnt submarines III neutral ports
is aS follows:
The government of the United States
hats received the Identical memoranda
OF the governments Of Franco, Great
Britain. Russia and Japan. in which
neutral governments are eNhortrd TO
take rtlicaciouS measures tending TO
prevent bclligerent submarines, re-
gardleSs of their use. 20 avail tnem-
selves of neutral waters. ruadStrauS
and harbOrS" These governments
point out the facility possessed by such
craft To avoid supervision or SurEel-
lance or determination Of their ma
tiOual character and their power to
do injur: that is inherent IN tAclr
very nature" aS we'll as the "Idulilnn'
al facilitieS' afforded by having at
their disposal places where they can
rest and rcplrni$h lhcir supplies.
Apparently on these grOunuS the al
lied governments held thai submarines
vessels must BE- excluded frGn the
benefit Of the rules heretofore accept
ed under international law regarding
the admission and SujOurn OF war and
merchant vessels in neutral waters,
roadsteadS or harbor$. amy submarine
OF belligerent that once enters Il neu-
tral harbor must be held there. and
therefore, the allird governments
warn neutral powers OF the great Gan'
ger 10 neutral submarines attending
the navigation Of waters visited by The
submarines of helligcrentS.
In reply. the government OF the
United States must express its sur
prise that there appears to BE- an en-
deayor of the allied powers to deter
mine the rule OF action governing what
they regard as novel situation" in
respect to the use 0f submarines in
time of war, and 70 enforce acceptance
Of that rule at least in part, by warn
ing neutral powers of the great dam
ger TO their submarines il waters that
may be visited d? helliSerrnt subn;a-
rineS.
Action Not Warranted.
In the opinion of thr government Of
the United States The allied powers
have not set forth any circumstances,
nor is the government OF the United
States al present aware of any circurl-
stances concerning the list Of war OF
merchant submarines which woulG rem
der the existing rules OF international
law inapplicable TO Them.
In view OF this fact. ana Of the notice
and warning OF the allied powers. IN.
nOunced in their memoranda under at
acknowledgement. il is incum bent uuOH
the government Of the iEitrd States
10 notify the governments OF France,
Great Britain. Russia and Japan ,ha;.
so far as the treatment Of either VA:
or merchant submarines in American
waters is concerned. The government
Of the United States Reserves its lth-
erty of action in all respects, and will
treat such vessels as in its Oplnlun,
becomes the action OF Il power which
may be said 10 have. taken the first
steps toward establishing the princi-
pies OF neutrality, and which for oyer
Il century has maintained those rfin-
Piles in the traditional spirit ana with
the high sense of imparliaity in which
they were conceived.
In order that there should be no mis-.
understanding aS tO the attitude of
the United States. the government Of
the United States announces 10 the
allied powers that it holds it 10 be- the
duty Of belligernnt powers to diStin-
guiSh between submarines Of neutral
and bellig"rcnt nationality, and that
responsibility for any conflict that may
arise between brligrrrnt warShipS
and neutral submarines on account of
the neglect of Il belligcrent 10 disiin.
guiSh between these classes of SubnIa-
rineS must rest entirely upon the bel
ligerent power.