Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-13
SUBMARINE WARFARE WITHIN
THE LAW.

However much we may have been dis
| posed to disagree with President VIII
sons foreign policy and the failure there
Of TO protect American lives We must all
concede his diplomacy tremendous vic
tory in GeimnnYs new and simplified as
surances to the United states These
guarantees have reference TO the man
| ner in which submarine warfare is to be
conducted hereafter, and their real i'm
portance Is to he found in the fact that
the Berlin government has pledged It
all future operations of submarines
within the law when obcyed in both
the spirit and the letter.
, This means in short and plain lang age
| that the undersea boats must now obey
the laws OF humanity in dealing with
| the merchant ships Of all nations. which
IN turn probably means the passing Of
the effectiveness OF the submarine as a
vessel OF prey upon enemy commerce. 1t
seems TO have become fairly we'll dem
onstrated that the only way in which
the submarine could make sure of sink
ing merchant craft with safety to it.
self Was to torpedo the vessel without
warning, II it gave warning TO the in
tended victim two things might happen
either the vessel might escape, or it
might sink tho suhp1atj,,, r,,,,,;,, 70
1t or firing shells at it from guns con-
cealed on deck In either case or alter
native the object OF the attack by the
submarine would be defeated
The announcement by Germany that
submarines will hereafter comply With
international law In carrying on under
the-sea warfare. bids fair. therefore, to
! have far-reaching results in more drec-
tons than one. especially when taken in
conjunction with tho reply to the FRYE
| note, which announces that the Berlin
government Is willing to agree on dam
ages and test the treaty violation a The
Hague.
''' man! a'HeS arc expected to Join
| in the observance Of the International
| code In accordance with the latest note
from Berlin, Indeed some authorities be-
lleNe that the concessions made at this
time completely ovcrshadoU the Persia
| case supplying all the assurances that
could possibly be desired in that connec-
ton as we'll as others.
According to ahNces from Washing
ton 1t has been the aim OF President
Wilson and Secretary Lansing from the
very outset to secure something moro
than adequate PREPARATION and indemnity
FOR individual cases Of encroachment on
American rights. They have sought to
gain from both Germany and Austria
guarantees under which such attacks
would not be repeated, unless in strict
accordance with international law In
other words. they have sought to estab-
llsh the reign OF humanity in connec-
ton with submarine warfare in general.
The struggle has been discoura ging
at times, and il has seemed as though
American protests We're not bearing le-
eit1mate fruit Unless present indications
are misleading, however American d-
pomacy has won a complete victory in
securing Just such guarantees for the fu-
ture,
When we contrast the tremendous inn
| portance OF the victory thus won by
! peaceful means with what would have
probably followed war upon Germany
ana her allies In an effort to secure vim
| dication for American rights and pres
tse we can not be too thankful that
We have had men at the helm in the
! National Capital who could not be
stempeded into action which might have
| meant war
Tne victory Tor American diplomacy
| mus Won by President Wilson will bear
fruit in all the year. to come, serving
| ever as an abundant demonstration Of
'"e WISDOM of substituting arbitration
and diplomacy for the arbitrament Of the
| sword.