The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-16
WILL RECOGNIZE RIGHT
TO ARM FOR DEFENSE
Unit..d states VIII Adhere to Inter
national Law on subject Of Arm
ing Merchantmen.
SENATE TAKES HAND IN
INTERNATIONAL SITUATION
strong PrsAcas Against Adopting Poa-
tcy DemnaiAdoi BY Entente Allies.
Tentative Policy = Reversed.

| washington. Feb. i5.--Prenidsnt
Wilson today reversed the position
tentatively adopted by this govern
Imsnt vaeaE4kn.4f nsw German and
Austrian policy towards armed n,er-
chant vessels.
/ The view OF the State Department
has been to accept the suggestions Of
Germany and Austria. 1t was decided
today by the cabinet to ignore them.
and rather TO sustain the position OF
1.-THE entente allies.
After the meeting II was announced
| by the state Department that the
| United states viii not depart from
1.-THE fundamental prtnciA les of interna-
| tional law il was added that the
fUnIfed states recognizes tne right of
vessels TO carry defensive armament
m ..esta hlishAd rule OF interna-
tionai law
| The announcement that the United
States adheres to this policy came
after senator Sterling. of South Da-
kotss, had introduced = resolution In
THE senate insisting that there should
no NO acquiescence by the government
lin the German and Austrian policy OF
merchantmen.
want U. 5. TO Guarantee German
/ Conduct.
sir Cecil SpringRice. the British
Ambassador. who was at the State De-
partmsnt during the afternoon, said
THAT the British government would
dtsarm its merchantmen IL the United
States could guarantee that Germany
would keep its pledges not to sink
iunarmed vessels He did not think
the United states could do this.
| secretary Lansing said the eugges-
1 lions made to the entente allies TO dis
I'm merchanfmen. conditioned on 4
| declaration from their enemies that
mo nnarmed ships would he sank. were
made from Z humanitarian stand
| point. In an effort 10 save life
/ ii the Allies refuse to accept these
proposals. he indicated, the United
States win fall back on international
law.
In Its proposals ~ the Mflies the
United states was #skinE thsm 70
| change an established rule OF interna \
lsionai LAW Jf they will not agree 20
lrhang~ this ruIe. the United States. ~
twas clearly pointed cut. will not II
4 tempt u change the rulsH OF the
i A.hls wnilr the war rs In pr0xress-8
/ ii was on this point that Great Britain
raised her greatest objection r. the
lccnt<mpatsd action Of the United
states.
Secretary Lansing said that what the
Enited States may do In 70 change -
evidence On which II determines wheth-
sr armament carried by = vessel sntsft
ting american ports II to b. used for
lon~nsive or defensive purposes.
The regulations to p0Fr commanders
lfssued on September ~. 1914. outlined
\ this evidence. They permitted msr-
chant sesssls 10 carry guns ~ six-inch
| esIthrs Tor defens<. Secretary I1Ans~
ting Indicated that this United States
might consider reducing the eafibre Of
taseae eats frem elk taehes Co TIA
/ Inches. &
] II VA made very plain, however,
] that the Entted states Win not isaus
ireslalations u pert commanders M
! structinx thssa ia regard al enenay
/ marcha nttnen tarsyinx Knns ~ auxii-
larry cruieAtA ~ has been the clearly
llfndicated fnteution 0f the department.
l The poeitton annoAlncsd hy the state
/ Department today Hl1a held N many
! uuarternst0 ~ Wispa}y ~ variance with
the Nov ckprAsaed n IL disarmAment
fpropceala made W oee7ttsry Lansing
10 tho iaetenf& alIi4a January ~.
II those grpnes y setstsry I.ensins
Hold inst tIi6 riG Nf M Srm merchant
lmen ~aN u ~ subt ~ fiGht, which
lsnAs ~ ~ zpt ~ new con-
koltAQN ALL III s IS sss I'LL II III