Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-13

Washington, March 13. = Complete
and definite instructions to the armed
guards" to be placed aboard American
merchant craft have been completed by
the navy department and approved by
Secretary Lansing. They will be for
warded to the navy personnel aboard
the merchant craft when the ships to
be armed are ready to sail. The ma
ture Of tho instructions will not be
made public. They were carefully pre-
pared by navy officials.
It is planned not to broadcast the
orders generally thru the naval serv-
ice, but to furnish the officer In com
mand of the armed guard on each ship
with copy when his; vessel sails.
The navy department win suppress
all information regarding armed ships,
such as sailing dates, the equipment
provided by the navy department and
the placing Of guns. 1t was said oft-
cially, however that no conflict of ]u-
risdiction between the ships master
and the gun crews would arise.
Arrival Of the fifty nine Yarrowd dale
prisoners at Zurich was reported by
Minister Scoville at Berne today. The
minister has been instructed to supply
the men with every comfort. The nee
essary funds for their early return to
this country will be supplied.
Orders to Gun Crews.
Secretary Lansing transmitted to
Secretary of the Navy Daniels mem
orandum for guidance in formulating
the instructions to the naval gun crews
aboard the merchantmen. The sub
stance of the Lansing memorandum
follows:
1. German submarines are acting
under orders of Jan. 81. which are flle-
gal, and, therefore, they may be treated
as pirates. They have no standing be-
fore the law.
2, American ships which are to sail
with armament and crews are within
their rights from a legal standpoint.
The only law which they need recog-
nize is the law of cruisers, which spe-
cities that belligerent warship must
warn a peaceful merchantmen and
visit and search the vessel.
Duty Like Policeman.
3. The crews which are to be placed
aboard the ships have the same status
as armed guards. Their position is an
alogous to that of a policeman who is
placed aboard street car to protect
the passengers from strike violence.
4. The armed guard is responsible
to the navy department for the protec-
tion of the property intrusted to it.
s. The commanders of the crew
have the right to fire upon a German
TO fv $hn
barred zone, providing it does not make
|unmistakable signs of intentions to adj
here to cruiser law.
6. The fact that Germany has pub
licly announced that submarines have
been ordered to violate this law should
he borne In mind, because the sub
marine commanders cannot respect
cruiser law without violating the adj
miralty orders. .s.e
4. AS the first duty of the gun
crews is to protect the lives and prop
erty intrusted to them. it would be un-
wise to risk disaster in the belief that
cruiser law would be respected by sub-
marine crews.
Clearance Papers Proof.
The state department rules that
every ship which has right to. leave
an American port has the right to pro-
lection bv American guns and Ameri-
can gunners. The mere fact that clear
ance papers are granted to munition
ships proves. in the judgment of. the
department, that such vessels must be
accorded the rights given to them by
tcruiser law.
Germany may contend that mer-
chantmen armed by the American
navy and carrying naval gunners are
public ships Of the United States, In
which transportation of contraband
would constitute violation of neu-