Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-03
ABOUT WARNING PASSENGERS OFF
ARMED MERCHANTMEN.

ARMED MERCHANTMEN.
CA letter from Congressman Steph-
ems of Nebraska to one of his constit-
uents1
Washington, March 81, 1916.-Editor
Of Nebraskan. read with much in
terest "The Nebraskan" wherein you
devote much space to the criticisms OF
the Nebraska delegation in congress
because it voted solidly for the con-
sideration of the McLemore resolution
of warning, all of which shows how lit
tie is known about the facts in re-
gard to this matter. Here they are
from the original sources and in JUS
tice to the Nebraska delegation which
you have misrepresented. I request
that you publish them.
On Jan. IS, 1916, the president ad-
dressed a note to the foreign powers
setting forth the position Of this ma
ton on the armed merchant ship con-
troversy with Germany. This note is
so sound in logic and equity that no
one has ever been able to answer It..
I regret that space will not permit me
to quote it in full, but | quote the
main features of It as follows:
THE submarine relying for protec-
ton on it's power to submerge, is al
most defenseless in point Of construc-
ton. Even a merchant ship carrying
small calibre gun would be able to
use 1t effectively for offense against
the submarine.
Moreover, pirates and sea rovers
have been swept from the main chan
nels of the sea and privateering has
been abolished Consequently the
placing of guns on merchantmen at
the present date of submarine warfare
can be explained only on the ground of
a purpose to render merchantmen
superior in force to submarines and to
prevent warning and visit and search
by them. Any armament, therefore, on
a merchant vessel would seem to
have the character of an offensive
armament.
IF a submarine is required to stop
and search a merchant vessel on the
high seas, and in case it is found that
she is of an enemy character and that
conditions necessitate her destruction
and the removal to place of safety OF
persons on board, it would not seem
just or reasonable that the submarine
should be compelled, while complying
with these requirements, to expose
itself to almost certain destruction by
the guns on board the merchant YES
sci.
"It would therefore appear to be a
reasonable and reciprocally Just ar
rangement if it could be agreed by the
opposing belligerents that submarines
should be caused to adhere strictly tC
the rules of international law in the
matter Of stopping and searching
merchant vessels, determining their
belligerent nationality, and removing
the crews and passengers to a place Of
safety before sinking the vessels as
prizes of war, and that merchant YES
sells of belligerent nationality should
be prohibited from carrying any arma
ment whatsoever.
"In proposing this formula as basi:
of conditional declaration by the bel
ligerent government l do SO in the full
conviction that each government will
consider primarily the humane pur
| re a1ysn 81 TIM
people rather than the insistence upor
doubtful legal rights which may b.
denied on account of new conditions
Il would be pleased to be informed
whether your government would b.
willing to make such a declaration
conditioned upon their enemies making
a similar declaration.
Il should add that my government II
impressed with the reasonableness o
the argument that merchant vesse
carrying an armament of any sort, il
view of the character of the submarin,
warfare and the defensive weakness
of undersea craft, should be held to b.
an auxiliary cruiser and so treated b,
a neutral as we'll as by belligeren
government and is seriously consider
ing instructing its officials according
ly.' (Signed by Mr.. Lansing, secre
tary Of state)
After the president had fixed tn
status Of armed merchantmen as tina
of auxiliary cruisers in his note O
Jan. IS. such status was accepted b,
other neutral nations who warned
their citizens off such warships. l
was about this time that l introduced
in the house bill intended to pre-
vent our citizens from taking passag
on these armed merchant ships which
the president classed as auxiliar,