The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-10-13
Administration Awaits Results
Of investigation Into Sinking
Of British and Neutral Yes
sells OF the Atlantic Coast
ACTION DEPENDS UPON
BEHAVIOR OF RAIDERS
II Passengers Were Given Chance
To Save Themselves United
States VIII Take No Steps, Say
Officials At State Department
tAroeIalea Pros. ~ Federal wireless,

WASH1NGTON, Oct. H.
" The final decision of the at
titude which the United States will
take toward the sinking of num-
Der of~BFitish and neutral ships
off the Atlantic coast last Sunday
by German raider, will depend
upon what steps the U-53 took
to secure the safety of the pas
sengers on board the vessels she
sent to the bottom of the ocean
II it is found that she did all
in her power to give ample pro-
lection to the women and chill
dren, and saw to it that they
were d6t ,6f' hartn's way before
she struck, the United States will
have nothing to say. Just what.
will be done should the investi
CATION which the state depart
ment Isl now conducting, proves
that the sea rover sent her quarry
to their doom, without such pro-
visions was hdt,intimated by the
governmental officials here las,
night. tsdy mi ttll4Aa %rsr7
Refused Allied Requsst ~ 80 4 /;
Counsellor Polk of the state depart
ment announced that the United state.
has refused to accept the contention
of the Allies, urging neutral nations /,
deny the use of their harbors to sub
marines, whether merchantmen or war
ships.
The United States takes the position
that war submarines are of the same
status, so far as international law il
concerned, as are other warships, and
may use American harbors under sim
liar restrictions and regulations.
The memorandum which the state de
partmeDt has been preparing in reply
to the communication received Monday
from the Allied powers, regarding the
treatment of belhgerent submarines in
neutral WATERS, has been practically
complete. II is one of the subjects TAX.
en- up at conference held between
Secretary of State Lansing and Presi.
dent Wilson at Shadow Lawn, New Jer
sey, yesterday afternoon. 1t is known
that it expresses surprise at the atti
tude adopted by the Entente powers OF
this point, which it terms an "evident
endeavOT to determine the rule b,
"a fah l.. \
in their treatment of belligerent sub
mersibles." 1t adds that the "Unite6
State reserves to itself liberty of &C
tiOn in this and in all other respects.
Makes Position CLEAR
"In order that there may be no mis-.
understanding" the memOra ndum con-
tinues, athe United States hereby an
nounccsI that II holds that il is the
duty of SbelhRerents TO distinguish be
tween neutral and belligerent subma-
rines, aud that the responsibility sof
any conflict must rest entirely upbn
any negligent power"
The memorandum from the Allies to
which the above, is the answer, says
that in view of the conditions under
which submarines wage war they would
urge upon all neutral nations that they
exclude all submarines from the rules
laid down. for tbs treatment of belliger,
ent ships IF WAT, and detain such divers
as enter, neutral waters.
Grew stin Missing
The crew of the Kingstonian have |
not yet been picked up although u mum |
ber of torpedo boats, acting under or.
ders of the United States naval au-
thOrites at Newport Rhode Island, are
still securing the seas in the vicinity |
of the spot, whore the steamer was sunk
by the German raider. Sunday. Fears
for the safety of these men are begin.
ming to become acute, as the weather
is more threatening, and il is believed
that they could have had but little
store of food in the boats when they
went over the side.
The crew was OF, about so men.
First reports gave the name of one
of the nSdbmarined vessels AZ the
- Kingst iiadNOFRegian. This was
probably II mistake. The Kingst oman
is British four .masted - STEAMER of
$500 tons, belonging to {the Leyland
company, =, II IL fitted for passenger
travel hut as nothing is mentioned in
the Dispatches concerning passengers,
probably only the crew was aboard
when the submurine made its raid.
The question Of whether there were
three submarines engaged in the at,
tacks on the merchant craft Sunday, or