Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-29
SUB RULE
INTO EFFECT
! At MIDNIGHT
Germany Plans to Enforce
Policy Toward Armed
Merchantmen.
NEUTRAL NATIONS
GIVEN WARNING
Berlin Government Holds Nations
Have Had Ample Time to Caution
Subjects Of Dangers on High Seas
Washington Sees No Danger Of Inn
mediate ersak With Germany; Presi.
dent to Insist on Strict Interpretation

5s Berlin, via 1OndOn, Feb. Z9.-Ine
Associated Press is informed by Ger
many's ieading Statesmen, that the new
rule Of submarine warfare which was
announced In the German n,emoran
dunn regarding the future treatment Of
armed merchantmen will positively be
put into effect at midnigh. tonight.
AZ that time the period Tor warning
Of neutrals, giving them opportunity
to advise their nationals not to travel
on armed merchantmen, will expire.
For several DAYS there has been pos
sibility that Germany at the last mo-
ment would make a proposal that she
would discontinue the practice Of re-
freighters OF passenger liners-without
first hating the yesse, for examina-
ton and putting the crew in place
of safety, If the allies would remove
armament from merchantmen. It was
thought England might accept this
proposal, or that the United States and
other neutials would be convinced, it
England refused. that she had no in
SCItSAOA VI &AA0NV4II1luluS Inc use "a
armament for offensive purposes.
This might possibly have been Presi-
dent Wilson's proof that armament on
merchantmen was used only for de-
lense and thus reconcile the conflict
IND viswpoints regarding the impro-
1ety ~ nn4rchantmen carrying arma-
4 - anA ne inlpossibility Of the
ss11o1 tAAae altering the established
Al q i 80 r
germany No. Hep.Ful.
Publication OF President Wilson'S
letter to Senator Stone, however, APP
parently convinced Germany's leading
statesmen that no assistance was to be
expected from Washington in settle
ment of the situation regarding rules
Of submarine warfare and that it was
useless to make proposals. the only re-
suit Of which would be to give Eng
land more time 60 replenish her stores
white discussion was in progress at
Washington and London.
Newspa pers and the German public
generally are primed for spectacular
opening Of the new submarine CAM
paign. The newspaper reader might
expect to find the columns of his news.
papers on Thursday too small to obtain
the full account OF merchantmen sunk
by Germany's big feet Of submarines
on the first day Of the campaign. It
may be doubted, however. whether the
campaign will set in with such vigor,
and it would be no surprise if some
time passes without incident of such
q character as to force the United
States to act on President Wilson'S
declarations.
Expect Wilson TO Stand Pat.
Such at least appears to be the hope
of the German statesmen. They have
little expectation that President Wilson
will change his attitude even after re-
ceipt Of evidence attached to the Ger
man memorandum, which apparently
was not contained In the American
embassy's cablegram giving the text OF
the message itself.
German statesmen apparently hope
that BY the exercises of certain
amount Of circumspection matters may
drift along for time without con-
fiict, that Americans Of their own ac-
count will avoid armed merchantmen.
and that IN such incidents as do occur
it may he possible for Germany to
prove that the ships in question vio-
lated the rules Of warfare. Further
than this their hopes do not extend.