Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-29
Formal Notification Given
Lansing BY Bernstorff
at Morning Session
INSIST THEY ARE IN
ACCORD WITH LAW
American Notes Are Cited
to Show Fairness Of
Admiralty Order

Washington, D. c., Feb. 2S-Tn a
note presented to Secretary Lansing
today by Count Won Bernstorff, the,
German ambassador, Germany assures
the United States that 1t has no inten-
ton of revoking the pledges given in
the Lusitania case.
The note says Germany can conceive
of no reason for changing or postpun-
ing the new instructions to her sub
marine commanders to treat as war
ships enemy merchant ships armed
"defensively'' and that special precau-
tions have been taken to prevent ships
that are not armed from being at
tackled
The note at the outset reiterated
the previous pledges, which were Civ,
On on Sept. 1, and Oct. 5, last year for
the safety of unresisting liners, and
then goes on to say the German gov
ernment does not believe those assur-
Rnces have been modified by the new
memorandum.
U. S. Notes Cited.
During the negotiations over the
Lusitania, 1t says, no mention was
made Of armed merchantmen, and that
the United States in one Of its notes
On the Lusitanfa mentioned unarmed
merchantmen. Attention then is call
ed to the assurances privately given
In which 1t Is stated that liners will
not be sunk without warning, provided
they do not offer resistance Atten-
tion also is called to the statement of
the American government in it's notice
to port authorities that the presence of
armament on board merchant vessel
creates the presumption that tho ves-
sci is armed for offense.
It is stated that a submarine com.
mander can not be expected to warn
an enemy merchantmen which has q
right to fire on the submarine which
warns it, and the German government
sets up the contention that equipment
and intention to resist warning Civ.
en- by q submarine does not come with
in the definition of defensive arma.
ment.
British Faith Doubted.
Germany contends that similar
viewpoint was taken by the United
States and that it had assurances from
the Italian government that it's armed
merchant ships leaving American
ports would not fire on submarines
which warned them, The note then
sets forth that the German govern
ment did not issue Its new instructions
to submarine commanders until after
1t had come into possession of conf
DENTAL instructions by the British gov
ernment to the commanders of British
merchantmen. It Is denied that armed
British merchant ships of any descrip-
tion are peaceful traders, and it is de-
clared that the armament on board all
Of them Is to be used especially for
purposes Of attack.
The note makes 1t clear that the
Berlin government believes its new in
structions to submarine commanders
are In accord with the viewpoint ex-
pressed by the United States in It's
memorandum proposing a modus vi
vendi to the entente allies for the dis
armament of merchant ships.
To Make Certain.
It declares that German submarine
commanders have been so instructed
that they will not destroy a merchant
ship on question of armament, unless
1t is known positively that such arma-
ment exists. The declaration that pre-.
vious pledges will not be revoked also
is formally given.
Appended to the communication,
which was signed by Count Won Bern
storff was list of about twenty Incl
dents where 1t is charged German and
Austrian submarines have been attack
ed by merchantmen armed ostensibly
for defensive purposes. At no place
iii the communication is it suggested
that American citizens be warned to
remain of armed merchant ships, and
the question of what constitutes defen-
sive armament is not brought up al.
though It Is admitted in various quar-.
ters that such question probably
will be raised.
Austria Falls In Line.
Baron Zwiedinek, charge of the Aus.
lr!an embassy, called on Secretary
Lansing after Count Won Bernstorff
had left and informed him that Ger
manys views, as set forth in the note
from Count Won Bernstorff, were iden.
teal with those of his government and
that Austria, in effect, seconded every
hing contained in the German com.
munication.
(contiaued on page 81