The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-02-15
SUBMARINE IS WARRANTED
Congressman Reads Extracts from Diplo
matte Papers to Show That the United
States Believes That the Submarine
Is Proper Weapon In War.

bates on the international law affecting
the use of the submarine in naval war
fare-especially a blockade weapon
Congressman H. A. Cooper of this
district, ranking Republican of the
house committee on foreign affairs, on
| Saturday asserted after reading ex-
tracts from the diplomatic correspon-
dence Of this administration that the
use of the submarines is warranted;
and urged that Americans remain
| away from armed belligerent merchant
men. Representative Cooper's state
ment was listened to attentively
| by floor and gallery.
eff we are in a war against
JAPAN he said, ssor against Japan
and Russia, they now having entered
into secret agreement; and you and
/ are out in a submarine upon the
Pacific ocean; and your brother and
my brother are on shore fighting and
dying to save the great republic.
Along comes a japanese merchantmen
flying the flag of Japan armed with
w MIL AIlCI1CdnS uClcUu-
ing the government of the people, by
the people and for the people And
you and [ are requested to stand back
| because on board the armed belligerent
| merchantmen are three Chinese, the
citizens of a neutral country. I
[ ask you-would you do it,"
Representative Cooper's speech was
an answer to one from Representative
Temple of Pennsylvania, who took an
opposite view, maintaining that the use
OF the submarine was proper only when
restricted by certain legal limitations
! Representative Cooper said: ''The
gentleman from Pennsylvania Dr.
Temple, has said this is not question
of whether you could use submarines
at all; and assert the opposite It
certainly is a question of whether you
can use the submarine. And I propose
to prove this by examining the facts
and by quoting from an official letter
| Of the government of the United
States expressing the views of the
president and secretary of state. 7
know that by giving expression to any
other view than that already expressed
one is likely to be criticised and per-
haps denounced. Criticism and denun-
citation are rampant over the country
against any one who attempts fairly to
consider both sides of the question.
"Now let us see what this govern
| ment said would be right in the use of
submarines. It's opinion was set forth
in letter sent by Secretary Lansing
to the belligerents in January, 1916,
and which was written because the
president wished certain things
Representative Cooper read from
the letter as follows:
Prior to the year 1915 belligerent
operations against enemy commerce
| on the high seas had been conducted
with cruisers carrying heavy arma-
ments. In these conditions interna-
tional law appeared to permit mer-
chant vessel to carry armament for de.
fensive purposes without lessening its
character as private merchant vessel.
This right seems to have been pre-
dicated on the superior defensive
strength of ships Of war and the limit
alton of armament to have been de-
pendent on the fact that it could not
be used effectively in offense against
enemy naval vessels, while it could
defend the merchantmen against the
inferior armament of piratical ships
and privateers. 4"
Representative Cooper then contin-
ued GA submarine today can not
rise before a merchantmen armed with
these big gurs. It is impossible.
$50 that to all intents and purposes
the merchantmen armed with large
guns is warship, and our govern
ment declared that they ought to be
treated as auxiliary cruisers. Later.
when Germany had aceeded to this
suggestion, and England had refused
this secret suggestion of our govern
ment, which suggestion our govern
ment said was right, the New York
World, the great administration news
paper contained this article:
High officials in the state DEPART |
ment seemed disposed to consider the
development broad enough to warrant
the claim that the fundamental ques-
tions involved IN the conduct of sub
marine warfare have been settled in
accordance with the contention of the
United States.
"That was Feb. 10, year ago.
t'This is based on the belief, that, |
with Germany and Austria giving no |
tiee that they viii sink without warn
ing all armed ships, the two govern |
ments can not legally claim the right |
to sink unarred vessels. That is the
principle for which che United States