New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

national law was Questionable, but ne
bad threatened the Allies with 'nis
measure II they failed 20 agree 10 h
modus vivendi and disarm their thiPS
Voluntarily. and IL seemed to be neces-
sarv 10 make good the threat
After another Cabinet meeting Hes
,erday the situation changed. IL wa
announced that the United States woul"
abide BY international law as " mas III
terpreted il in the past, and iur,h.is
more. that II "had never eonsidereo
doing anything else The state pe,
psrtnient has been wavering nreso,
i,,,slv for week. Arst declaring tha,
,,n.hinc would be done until case
rose then expressing the hope th"'
congress would step in and revise IN
tcrnstional law, thereby eXcuipating
,be Administration. But President
wilson decided 70 switch back TO the
s;nyle track on which he had been tray
cling since the opening Of the war ana
"a hold Germany accountable tor tne
destruction Of vessels armed TOT oe-
fence.
German Promise Withdrawn.
This decision made IL evident that IN
issuing the new decree Germany hhu
withdrawn the promises gwen when
,be Arabic was sunk. even though Ter
man officials here have repeatedly de
clared that those assurances were heN''
meant 10 cover armed vessels.
The Presidents new attitude, or
rather. his reversion 20 his old attitude
aroused great indignation In German
quarters here to-day. From German
noint Of view. Secretary Lansings
rodus vivendi note 20 the Allies was
an Invitation 70 Germany 20 declare
war on armed ships; IL was exactly IN
conformity with the new position o.
the United States, and Germany, there,
fore. expected that II would be received
with approval here.
- is now charged that Secretary Ian
sing has acted in bad faith-that ne
has led Germany into trap. IL is even
intimated that Secretary Lansing SEM
his note 70 the Allies for the express
purpcse Of drawing Germany into sucn
q declaration as that just made, ana
therefore, Of "reopening the whole queS-
.ior II the Lusitania and submarine
wsrfsfe." ~ o
Tusitsnia case had nothing TO do with
srned ships. and that the question Oh
srmsnents need not be considered IN
snv settlement for the Lusitsnia. TINS
lev a entirely unacceptable 10 the
S,ate Departmont, where Il is pointeo
an, that the United States made as
cordition of the Lusitania case prom
;se from Germany that submarines
would abide by international law, ana
not merely al assurance that VheS
would not repeat attacks on unsrmeo
passenger liners. .h.
m Is probable, also, that since the
whole question of submarine warfare
has been reopened" President wilson
will insist on 9 definition or the "oiu
liners" as Il was used in Germany
assurances. When the assurances "ele
accepted the State Department was n1'
ANXIOUS 10 imperil its victory oy gun.
hing over words, but i Is thought tn"e
In so thorough a determination OF V.e
80 as President Wilson now intenos 20
,nete no will leave no stone unturneu
20 ferret out the Jokers IN Ncii""'' 81
submarine promises. l.
The internal political situation IN
Germany is regarded here as inSAlns
H. situation grave, because the Won
Tjrr;tz element is understood TO pc
-oasser+ing itself with considerable
cFect and the subject requires detl-
cate handling, because an upset OF Vho
Won Retbmann-H -Hollweg administrator
would he regarded as untavoraoie IN
The United States will, Of course
continue its efforts TO induce the
Fntente Allies 10 dEarm their mer-
cbantmen, and in the event OF tnelr
~efusing the State Department prooapiy
,.ilI further limit the character Oh
armament which II considers defensive.
In That event armament above the set
limit would cause ships having ~
hoard 10 be considered warships anu
.reated accordingly In American ports
There is no indication. however, that
.bs instructions under which American
mort authorities are operating VIII DC
changed in the immediate future,
II was said st the German Embassy
hat Count Won Berns/brf had not com
mnnieated with Secretary Lansing since
he called AZ the State Department at
noon. The ambassador appeared 70 De
much surprised when informed OF the
announcements Of the department. IL
was said at the embassy that Secretary
Lansi- had made no more than pass
ing mention Of the armed ships ques-
ton during to-day's conference
II was expected tonight that count
Won Bernstorff would be invited to the
state Department probably tomorrow
and that the views of the United states
IN regard 10 the whole subject would
be explained to him, that he might sd-