Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-03-16
GOVERNMENT BEGINS
ARM|NG ALL SHIPS
SECRECY MAINTAINED AS TO
SAILING DATES-POLICY OF
DEFENSE OUTLINED.

DEFENSE OUTLINED.
Behind a curtain of secrecy and
with ominous calm, the United States
this week has been going about the
business of arming its merchantmen
to combat submarines in the German
war zone.
Elaborate precautions to shroud
with secrecy all of the movements of
armed ships have been made, and all
Of the treasury departments control
Of the port and harbor waters of
the United States will be exercised to
safeguard the merchant ships which
will brave the hidden dangers of the
Submarine zone, under orders to sink
at sight an undersea boat approach.
ing in threatening manner.
Following the decision of the state
department that the sinking of SUBJ
marine by an armed merchant ship
would be merely an "act of defense"
II the submarine was in position
to attack, the administration ordered
the utmost precautions to conceal
armed ships movements and to facil-
itate their sailings.
Germany Enters Protest.
The state departments announce
ment that American ships will sink
omop{Ci0vu cuhr, a riv ~, Sov, ctuh< 49, x,o q
followed by a significant visit by DR..
Paul Ritter, the Swiss minister now
in charge of the affairs of Germany
in this country. DR.. Ritter conferred
at length with Counsellor Polk.
After the conference neither the
6wiss minister nor the state depart
ment would discuss the visit, but 1t
was understood that the Swiss diplo-
mat had presented Informally to the
department the views Of Germany -
to the arming Of merchant ships.
The German communication was In
the form Of q protest, 1t was stated.
and indicated no change in Germany's
announced determination to sink
without warning all vessels, neutral
or belligerent, armed or unarmed;
found in the barred zone. It was un-
derstood at the state department that
the German expression will not call
for any reply from the United States.
Lansing Declines Policy.
The state department position as
to the rights of armed merchantmen
was announced by Secretary of State
Lansing. He declared the United
States would adhere to it's former
rulings, that merchantmen, armed or
unarmed. we're entitled to insist upon
the exercise Of the right of "visita-
ton and search" at sea.
He said armed merchantmen of the
United States would not fire upon
submarines approaching on the sur
face with the apparent intention Of
searching the ship for contraband.
But he held that the German repu-
diation Of all rules of international
law in the barred zone and it's an
nounced intention to sink without
warning any belligerent or neutral
merchantmen encountered within the
barred zone, would Justify the imme-
diate sinking of a submarine ap-
preaching submerged with the evident
intention Of firing a torpedo without
warning.
The sinking of q submarine under
such circumstances, the state depart
ment holds, would DO an act Of de-
tense and could not be construed into
an act of war. Omcialdom generally
realizes, however. that the sinking Of
. submarine by an American mer-
chairman will probably precipitate a
crisis.
Burden ON Germany.
Instructions that have or will be
given to commanders Of American
armed ships are kept secret. but the
attitude Of President Wilson all along
has been that no steps Of a belliger-
ent character should be taken and
that II state Of war comes it must
be through Germany's commission of
acts In clear violation of international
law. Some of1icials close to the pres
ident are known to feel that in line
with this policy the United States
should not sanction q shoot-on-sight
program which might be construed
as aggression.
The governments position on fur
nishing arms and ammunition to ves-
sells carrying munitions and other
contraband has not been announced.
Since the policy Of the government in
the past has been not to insure YES
sells carrying arms and ammunition
to the belligerents. 1t has been con.
sidered probable that this attitude