Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-11
Position Of Berlin and Vienna
Formally Stated to Secre-
tay Lansing by Diplomatic
Representatives.
IN HARMONY WITH
WASHINGTON VIEWS
Americans, Who Travel on Al
lies Vessels Carrying Guns,
viii Do So at Their Own
Risk Hereafter IS Belief,


Washington. Feb. l0.--Gcrmany
and Austria have formally notified the
United States that beginning March /.
commanders of their submarines VII
consider armed merchant ships OF the
entente allies to be warshps and viii
treat them accordingly
Under such instructions, tho NO.a-
mandcrs would be at liberty to sink
without warning any armed vessrk
whether passenger or freight carrying
The notifications were delivered
orally to Secretary Lansing by Count
Non Bernstorff the German ambassa-
dor ana Baron Erich ZWiedmek,
charge Of the Austrian embassy here
Notes from their governments are to
follow.
High officials of the state depart
ment seemed dispos to consider the de-
Nelopment broad enough that the fun
damental questions included in the
conduct of the submarine warfare
have been settled in accordance with
the contentious Of the nitcd States
This is based upon the belief that with
Germany and Austria giving notice
that they will sink without warming
an armed ships me two governments
cannot legally claim tho right to sink
unarmed vessels That is the princi-
pie for which the United States has so
vigorously conteudcd since tho begin-
ming Of the negotiations over the con-
duct of submarine warfare
Warming TO Americans
In view Of this situation, American
citizens 1t is stated by high authority.
now may be warned that they viii
take pas-fse aboard armed merchant
ships at their own risk and be cnti-
tied to no more protection from the
United States than II they embarked
on belllgerent warship Officials to-
day seemed not to be able to conceive
that amy issue could arise In the fu-
turs from submarine warfare con-
Quoted under these rules.
The German ambassador and the
Austrian charge Informed Secretary
Lansing Of tho intohtion of their re-
spectvc governments after they had
received by wireless a dispatch Of
which the following is represented as
being paraphrasc:
Tcuton Position Slnied
"Thc German ana Austrian govern T
ments will instruct the commanders Of
their war vessels that from the end Of I
this month they are to regard armed /
merchant ships OF the enemy as aux
iiary cruisers Notice to this effect viii
be sent to all neutral governments
Please so inform Mr.. Lansing immedi-
ately"
1t was said in Teutonic diplomatic
circles that the effective date of the
instructions was postponed solely for
the reason that the central powers
desired TO give enemy merchant ships
time to disarm and SO that the en-
tente allies might have the chance TO
make their views conform to the sug-
gestions put forward by the United
States in its memorandum.
Rights Of Submarines.
This memorandum declared il was
desirable that merchant ships should
be unarmed. and contained an inti- /
nation Of an intention to regard arn-
ed merchantmen which come into
waters as warships. The
United States acted on the assumption
that no war vessels of the central
powers except submarines, were at
sea and that a single shell, of even a
small caliber. fired from gun
aboard merchant ship, might sink
any submarine which attempted to
stop her. 1t was recognized that sub
cord with international law. but that
their commanders could not be eN-
pccted to endangor their vessels and
crows in dealing with armed ships. !
Acted on Mcmorandum
It was stated by high authority
here today that it was extremely
doubtful thar the Austrian and Cor
man governments would have issued
bf mt. T.. neutral uaxgrpptattaI had IL
not been for the American memoran-
lum- Officials were much interested :
n dispatches from Berlin which quot
I'd DR. Alfred Zimmerman, undor-scc- .
'etary of foreign affairs. as saving the :
icrman government considered its
lOte to bo in harmony with the views
IF the United states
While officials of the state depart
ucnt declined 10 discuss the Hotiiira-
ions received il was admitted In va
'ious quarters that the question prob
,bly would receive little opposition
rom the state department 1t was
'Onsidred that the immediate effect OF
he notification would be 20 cause the
department. to announce more quickly z
ian had been thought advisable its j
Intention to sbandon the old ruling p
made before German cruisers were i'
lIiNfN iIbfH tine tfths Miiltf lifIHllil'h
merchant ships to carry arms for De. II
ensive purposes t'
Hope OF Lansing.
Th department is known 20 have p
loped tn secure an agreement from all q
# the entente allies TO disarm their y
merchant shipps. and then to secure u
pledge from the central powers 10 81
effain absolutely from attacking II
uoh unarmed ships without warning.
'hese undertakings. Ii was believed, ri
would be crYstallized into new prin- u
iple Of International law
Secretary Lansing said today that q
one Of the allies had replied to his II
ote. Other officials suggested that II
he announced Intentions Of the Ger Vi