The sun., 1916-12-08
Washington Worried Over
Gcrnlany's Admission Of
Sinking Steamship.
NAY BE A "MISTAKE"
Berlin Explains That Vessel
Was Taken for a Trans
port.

e''u coSSetSSy iSaUein8 regard SerfnAny
explanation OF the sinking Of the p. & O.
steamship Arabia as distinctly unsatis-
factory. The status Of the submarine
Issue appears as a consequence to have
now assumed a serious aspect, which
may not be removed until the two Gov.
ernrnents have reached an understan nd
ing concerning the Interpretation which
the Berlin Foreign Office intends to give
In the future TO the pledge made ia the
United States last May.
The German note had no sooner been
made public here than signs pointed TO
the concern and dissatisfaction Of the
Administration. President Wilson was
/ at once informed Of its contents by
/ Secretary Lansing. and the State De-
J partnent refused fatty to make any
[, -omhent on It. Secretary Lansing par
I rted all questions IN advance by stating
/, that he had nothing to say about the
! Tote and would not discuss II in any
form"
( rs that because OF the seriousness Of
/ the situation ?" he was asked.
, You may draw your own concluI
sions." was the reply.
: Information from author itative sources
} made It clear that the note necessarily
!
} question far more serious than appeared
on the surface. chiefly because the Ger.
man Government admits that the attack
ON the passenger ship may have b,en
, another mistake" and takes issue with
, this Governments Interpretation Of the
! rights OF armed merchantmen on the
high seas
Issues Made Clean Get.
Both Issues are made clean cut and
Well defined in the German note They
are made known to this Government In
eident with reports In the semi ofiicia.
hoe'ntsche Zcitun0 that Germany would
henceforth conduct her submarine war
fare according to her own Views and
without being deferred by American
threats
Regardless OF whether the Arabia was
or was not a peaceful merchanman .
direct issue Is raised by Germany's
statement that the submarine commander
presumed she was an army transport
and therefore felt justified In attacking
her. Germany adds that II the United
States can prove that che was an ordi-
nary passenger steamer the spbmarine
commanders action would have been
contrary to instructions.
:. The United States Government stands
~ Its doctrine that the submarine COM
nander must presume vessel en-
eountered on the high seas to be a peace
eble merchant ship until conclusive evil
dence elbows she Is warship The
German Government In It's note admits
" did not know and does not yet know
whether the Arabia was a passenger ves-
eel or a warship. Under these circum-
stances Secretary Lansing holds that the
submarine commander had no right un-
Ser international law to fire on the
vessel.
The views Of the United State. Gov.
ernment on this important point have
been communicated TO Germany in
memorandum which Secretary Lansing
despatched to all Governments last
March. This memorandum made clear
the position which the United States
took with respect TO the status OF armed
merchantmen on the high seas.
Presumption No Excuse.
"The determination OF warllk. char.
ecter must rest in no case upon presump-
uon, Secretary Lansing says. but upon
conclusive evidence. because the respon-
eibility for the destruction of life and
property depends on the actual fact. of
the case and cannot be avoided or les
sened by a standard of evidence which
Z oelhkerent may announce Az creating
q presumption Of hostile character
The admission by Germany tina, tho
Arabia case may he another regretta-
pie mistake revives the main question
involved In the whole submarine issue
u IN explained. President Wilson ba.
long taken the ground that submarine
warfare against commerce carriers wa,
IncompaioIo with the laws Of humanity
LOT the very reason that mistakes were
Bound to occur.
oermany's plea Of . "regrettab mis-
sake only adds force to the Presidenrs
contention that methods OF subua rine
warfare which permit of these mist vas
must be abandoned. The United STATE.
insists that there must be no form a.
submarine warfare which permits OF
mistakes for otherwise American and
Sther non-combatant lives would always
Be In Jeopardy.
nnately 900 women and children ver.
placed In Jeopardy by the action OF the |
submarine commander. according 10 In
formation which the State Department
has received. American lives wee
3eopardized. according to one af,dayit |
made by an American.
Two engineer officers were killed. In |
view OF the facts which have deyeloped
from this Governments Investigation.
the German reply Is considered IN no |
sense valid explanation. The German
note. addressed 10 Charge Grew. in re-
ply to his Inquiries made on instruc-
nons from Washington. follows:
FoREIcN OFFICE. BERLIN,
Dec. I. 1915.
The undersigned has the honor to
INFORM Mr.. Grew. charge d. affatres
OF the United States Of America. in
reply to the note of the 2lst ultimo,
mat the investigation conducted by
tne German Government concerning
the sinking OF the British steamer
Arania- has led to the following re-
suits.
German Facts.
On the morning OF November
German submarine encountered
large steamer coming from the CorIeo
straits. one hundred nautical miles
west or the Island OF Corgo. The
steamer was painted black and had a
oiack supers,ructure, and not. as Is
otherwise the case with =. and o, line
superstructures. a light color. The
steamer. which was identical with the
Arabia. was not travelling on tho
route regularly used by the passenger
steamers between Port Said and Malta
as Is made plain on the enclosed man
but was taking "A zigzag course toward
tne west l2O nautical miles north of
tAAt route. This course, on which tho
submarine passed three similar steam
crs at the same spot on the sams
morning, leads from the Aegean In
MaVA, so that the Arabia WAS moving
OH me transport route Corigo-Malta.
used s"i"'y 'or war purposes, Accord