Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-09
MAY ASK TEUT0N|C
ALLIES FOR PLEDGE
President Urged to Demand AS,
surances as to Unarrned Ships
With Americans on Board.
DECISION NOT YET REACHED
Germany, in Note, Accepts Con-
tentions of United States
in Frye Case.

WAsiiiNGToN, January >--l:ncour-
aged by the eonciliatory attitude
shown by Germany and Austria IN re-
cent Diplomatic exchanges with the
United states officials are considering
requesting n definite and comprehensive
statement pledging, not only c;"rmauy.
but all Of her allies. To respect IN the
conduct Of their sea warfare the guar
antccs as 10 the safety Of American
life for which this government has
contcnded throughout tho entire sub
marine controversy.
President Wilson is being urged by
| some of his close advisers 20 ask the
Gcrmanic allies for definite assurances
| that no unarmed ships with Americans
aboard shall be destroyed b. any Of
them until the passengers have reached
q place Of safety. The President Isl
said to look with some favor upon such
4 proposal, but has reached no de-
cision. IN any case. hc probably Will
take no steps in that direction until
details OF pending negotiations with
! these countries have been cleared un.
OFFICIALS ARE GRATITIED
! OVER NOTE IN FRYE CASE
| Officials are particularly gratitied
over G"rinany's latest note on tho de-
struction OF the American ship William
! y. Frye. made public to-day, because Of
Its acceptance Of the principle that the
mere placing OF noncomhatants IN lie
boats before a prize is destroyed is not
. sufficient guarantee OF safety.
j This concession. coupled with the
! offer ~ Germany TO pay indemnitv FOR
! the I.usitauia victims and Ambassador
, Won Bernstorf's assurances regarding
/ the conduct OF German Submarines in
I the Mediterranean. has contributed
greatly to the feeling that a satisfac-
T tory solution OF the entire problem
might be near at hand. This hope is
strengthened by Austria's Difference In
the second Ancona reply and the as
surancc OF Baron Zwietlinek, the Aus
/ trian charge here. that If II developed
! that an Austrian submarine sank the
liner Persia, he had 10 doubt personally
! that full satisfaction would he given
No further details regarding the
Persia incident reached the State De-
partment to-day but there has been
an apparent lesseninE Of tension. as the
days have gone by without any Off cinl
4 confirmation that il was n torpedo. and
| not a mine. that sank the shin.
. NOTE MADE PUBLIC
HY STATE: DEPARTMENT
! GerN1any's note accepting the Ameri-
(! can contentious that the mere placing
OF noncombatants III lifchoats when
prize is 10 be destroyed is not under
all conditions 10 he considered ass,ir-
! ing them a place OF safety was made
public to-day by the State Department.
The note Is The latest conmunica-
! tion over the sinking Of the American
II sailing ship William i. Frye and. he.
4 sides making the important concession
regarding the question OF small boats
takes up the question of an Indemnity
for the sunken ship and for arbitratins
4 tho disputed provisions OF the Prus-
4 sian american treaty.
y The mos; important part OF the text
relating 20 the sinking OF ships carry
! ing contr:,hand and the safety of NON
4 comhatants follows:
Until the decision OF the permanent
/ court Of arbtration the German nayn!
4 forces will sink only such American
! vessels rs arc loaded with absolute con
! trahand. when the prcconditions pro
J vided by the Declaration of London
are present. In this the German gov
! eri.ment quite shares the view of the
American government that all possible
/ care must be taken for the security of
! the crew and passengers OF a vessel 10
I be sunk. Consequently. the persons
! found board Of a vessel may NOT bc
ordered into her lfcboats except when
! the general conditions. that is TO saw
+, the weather, the condition of the sea
ana the neighborhooh of the coasts af-
F, ford absolute certainty that the boats
! will reach the nearest port. For the
I rest. the German government begs TO
| point out that IN cases where German
. val f1-9lS ~
/! for carrying contraband. no loss OF
/ life has yet occurred"
GKE:NE WOULD HE EXPOSED
no DANGER OF CAPTURE
I Germany declined. however, to have
/, the commissioners who will settle the
| Frye damages meet in Washington. he
I cause il is pointed out that the German
! expert. Or. Grevc of Bremen. director
! Of the North German Lloyd. would be
/ exposed To danger of capture during
a voyage 10 America lin consequence
/ of the conduct OF maritime war by Eng
land contrary 10 international law"
/ 1t Is suggested that the German and
! American experts might get in touch
! by correspondence. Germany also de-
clines to assent ut this time to the
nomination of an umpire. in the an
I Scnce of determination or whether
the experts would settle damages or
4 principles. Germany refuses to have
nm umpire consider the question OF
/ principle. In ease the United States
! insists that the experts meet in Wash
I ton. and that an umpire be named nj
! once. Germany suggests that tho
damages be arranged by diplomatic
| negotiation.
| For the arbitration of the Prussian-
American treaty Germany. in the note,
proposes special court OF five from
/ the permanent court at The Hague OF
| which each country shall choose two
and the four shall choose the Rfth, to
meet at Tho Hague on June Is. The
! special court would decide whether,
under the Prussian- American treaty.
| tho bclliGerent contracting party Is
prevented from sinking merchant yes
| sells of the neutral contracting party