The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-23
WILL ABIDE BY Law.
GERMANY PROMISES NOT To
VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL
RULES.
America Rejects Teutonic Theory
Will Not Accept as Legal Announce.
cd Intention of Sinking Armed
Merchantmen Without Warning
Sweden Yield to Berlin's Wishes.

Washington, Feb. 1S.-Germany's
response to the latest request of the
United States for assurance that sub
marine warfare will be conducf
accordance with principles Of il l.
tiODal law is expected to bf q ht
statement that assurances p =. isly
given in the I.usitania anf " abba
cases had to do only with rmed
merchantmen and that IL, 5 Arman
government must feel cey . hat it's
submarine which warns @ 1rchant-
man will not be attacf : further
more. the Berlin forsf = flee prob
ably will ask the Unit kes for it's
definition Of defensive lment
Indications of what the German re-
ply may be are understood to have
been given lin informal conversation
between state department officials
and Teutonic diplomats since Ger
many end Austria announced their in
tention OF sinking armed enemy mer-
chantment after February 20.
The United States today made it's
i1rst formal declaration that it does
rot accept as legal the announced in
tention of the Teutonic powers when
the State department sent to Dip
lomatic and consular representatives
abroad, for their information, Motif.
cations that this government con-
siders that merchant ships have a
right to carry defensive armament.
In this connection it became known
that the Swedish government had in
structed its consular officers to ad-
wise all Swedish subjects preparing to
embark on vessels of the entente al
lies of the warning given by Germany
and Austria.
1t is considered certain that the
question of defining. defensive arma-
ment will be the basis of lengthy
negotiations with the central powers
beginning when the reply is received
to thasn naAssase se,ltlinipg the views OF
the United States which Count Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassadors.
has sent his government. The re-
sponse is not expected before the last
Of next week.
1t was admitted at the state depart
ment today that the question of writ
ing formal note on the subject of the
concNct Of submarine warfare. after
the complete German declaration and
its. appendix have been received. was
under consideration. It is certain
that Austria also will be supplied with
the views of the United States.
Eleven days remain before German
and Austrian submarine commanders
begin to put into effect their new in
structions unless the date for the
opening of the new campaign is post
poned. While the United States is
said not to have asked for a postpone
ment the German ambassador is be-
heved to have called the attention of
MS government to the fact that the
complete appendix forming the basis
CT the German declaration has not vet
mad time to reach the state depart
ment and for this reason a postpone
ment would not be surprising.
Omcials also are awaiting copies
OF the confidential instructions to ar.
tack submarines which the German
government alleges have been given
to the commanders of British mer-
chant ships.
In this connection it was stated i'm
German circles tonight that evidence
IN their possession led to the con-
cluslon that all British merchant
ships, with the possible exception of
those in transatlantic trade, had in
structions. to resist capture.
1t was pointed out that the Clan
NacTavish, sunk by the raider Moewe.
the oaptor of the Appam, had fought
with her guns until she went down II
also was declared that aboard the
Appam was found a document con-
tanning Instruction, ITO all British
born sea captains" and setting forth
that any submarine approaching q
merchant vessel may be treated as
hostile"
secretary Lansing made it clear to-
day that the arrangement under
which dcfensively armed Italian ships
had been permitted to leave American
ports did not in any way require the
ohited states to sacrifice any prin-
ciple or tend to establish precedent,
lie said that the ships had been al
lowed to sail under a temporary ar