New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
InStructS BernstOrff
Germany Knows No
Defence Armament
U-BOAT ORDER
NOT A REVERSAL
Enjoys Visit to Lansing
To-day Expected to Open
Long Discussion.
From The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington, Feb. 27.-The statement
that there is no such thing as de
fensively armed" merchantmen is de-
clared to be the outstanding feature OF
instructions from Berlin to Ambassa-
dor Won Bernstorf, who will communi-
cate them 10 Secretary of State Lam
sing tomorrow, the last day of grace
granted BY Germany to Americans who
travel on armed merchantmen.
The ambassador will notify Secre
tary Lansing that the guarantee OF
safety to "liners' made some time ago
in the Lusitania negotiations did not
cover armed ships. On that theory, he
will contend, the recent submarine or
der, which has aroused so much fear OF
war in Washington, does not nullify
or even modify the promise already
given Of immunity TO liners.
The principal assurance given in the
Lusitania case read as follows:
Liners will not be sunk without
warning by our submarines and without
safety of the lives of non combatsnts,
provided that the liners do not try to
escape or offer resistance"
Some officials here go so far as 70
say that good relations between the
United States and Germany depend
largely on to-morrow's developments.
They declare that unless an agreement
is reached on the armed merchantmen
question the sinking of a merchant
ship, with loss Of American life. will
mean break. But unless such an
event happens within few days. it is
generally admitted, the chances for its
becoming a grave issue will diminish.
In both German and State Department
quarters it is believed that the longer
the controversy drags on without the
commission Of any overt act By Ger
many the greater will be the chances
for an amicable adj djustment.
May Be Long Controversy.
Some wonder was expressed here to-
night as 20 the form the negotiations
from now on would take if the German
government persisted in its contention
that there was no such thing as an
armed merchantmen. This is the very
point on which it was understood yes
terday that the present negotiations
would be continued.
State Department officials say that
to-morrow's conference between the
Secretary and the ambassador will be
only the beginning of long contro-
versy, in which it is hoped Germany
will be persuaded TO admit tina. under
certain conditions armament may be
purely defensive. During this debate
Germany will put her new policy into
operation, unless Secreta-v Lansing re-
quests that it be postponed. No such
request has been made, though Am
bassador Won Bernstorff has told Mr..
Lansing that his government probably
NOulu COUNtnL W a POSNpNhNh'N'Ns
The German argument will be pre-
cisely that recommended by the am
bassador 10 his government d few
weeks ago. after Secretary Lansing had
Informed him that the government con
sidered the new policy to conflict with
the promise that unresisting liners"
would not be attacked without warn
ing and without saving the passengers
and crews.
Germany contends that the so-called
right" of merchantmen TO arm. even
for defence, does not exist. and that
before the present war Germany re
fused TO acknowledge the existence Of
such a right.
Armed for Defence.
The armed merchant ships os the
Entente powers are armed for offence.
This is held to be proved by nlmer-
ous instances in which submf rines
have been attacked by such vessels, by
the secret orders" of the British and
other governments 70 merchant COM
manders, and BY the published opin-
Continued on page 3. column J