The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-02

!
, ment on matter which has been
! brought to my attention. The question
! has been raised as TO whether the poll
! cy Of the President or the department
! in regard to Submarine warfare since
/ the Sussex was sunk has been
! changed. l wish 10 say emphatiCally
| that there has been no change in any
: particular.
| Outstanding Facts.
| While they await full details. two
! out staining facts attracted the attcn-
! tiur OF officials.
! Ono was the announcement that the
! Marina WIS armed with Il Ia ilcsh gun
! muunIrd ;slcrn: the other was a news
! &c sp;itch from London the language OF
| which was regarded us significant. II
said:
| 1t is regarded here as quite probable
/ that the American State Department
! will make still further Inquiries with
| the object Of definitely determining the
| Status Of the Marln;r While it is said
| That she Was under prlNat" charter
when she was t"rpcdocd. it appears the
! vessel may have appeared i'll admiralty
work not long before
! This waS generally construed rs re-
! tlccLnE some indications Of doubt in
! London over whether the ship was en-
/ titled Ia the immuniticS OF Il peaceful
merchantmen.
| II
! has altered its policy uf regarding iu"r-
! chant ships, temporarily in admiralty
/ service rs merchant ships still. unless
! they have been actually takcn over by IL
| bclligcrcnt navy and manned with q
! naval crew.
The question Of the Marinas arma-
! mcnt. is likely IL become the point IN
/ which the c;!Sr will r"vulrc unless other
! circumstances arise to clearly define the
! issue in another direction.
! Eacl1 to Same Point.
II brings the submarine question
! back to Il point where Germany and the
! United States have held to directly OPP
puSitc views. Germany has StradtaSt-
/ ~ cuntrndcd That in view of the novel
conditions surrounding submarine war
fare. and in view Of the British admir-
alty's alleged instructions 10 merchant
: captains to destroy curm: SubmrrSlhlrS.
! Any armed ship WAS liable To d"Siruc-
: tiUn on sight and without warming
; If i!rr ease nHrrnw$ down 10 IL purS-
i ton OF armament the outcome wuuIS
! appear to hinge upon whether the Mar
! int resisted the submarines or attempt
! cd to flee. The mere question of arlma-
! nirut for dcfcnSir" purposes. such as is
usual on merchant ships. would seem
| IT, ic eliminated as tar as the United
States is concerned.
! Mr.. Lansing announced today that the
/ United States stood on the same ground
! il touk in the Sussex note which warned
! warming ON peaceful merchant ships
We're discontinued, the United States
/ would have no choice but t. sever dip
! lumatic relations altogether.
where Case Hinges.
Tho privately expressed opinion Dl
! some officials. is thai should la. dcStruc-
! ton OF the Marina without warning DC
! admitted. Germany may contend that
! her guarantees in the SuS$uN case did
not apply To armed ships which she
, maintains are undo" instructions uf the
| British admiralty to destroy Suhma-
rinrS. In that event. the United states
would be confronted with determining
Whether the situation permits Of further
ncEutiat ion or whether il calls for ac-
,ion consistent with the declarations in
the Sussex note.
Those who expect the ease may take
such Il turn. regard the possibility us an
evidence nf the Threatened widening OF
tn" Srnp" Of submarine warfarc.
While tn" situation al this stage gives
no outward evidence of the tension
which attended the several submarine
crisis in tho last two years 10 attempt
Is made To disguise the possibility that
il may develop situation or utmost
gravity. Until all the facts arc gath
cred and Substantiatcd by legal evil
dcncc. and until Gt.rmany's version of
the affairs is at hand, it is doubtful IT
the State Department VIII permit any
of the developments to become public.
When tho case IS complete the ultimate
decision will rest with President Will
son.