The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-30
Disquieting Sea Warfare De-
velopments Laid Before
State Department
BRITISH STATEMENT OF
INTENTIONS SOUGHT
United States Also Would
Hasten German Statement
OF Facts In Case of American
Prisoners on Yarrowdale

Washington. Jan. 29.-The sea war.
fare of the European struggle again
tonight confronted the United States
with a serious threat of grave COM
plications. Following a declaration
by Secretary OF State Lansing that
the entire disputed question OF armed
merchant vessels and the use Of sub
marines was once more before the
state Department for consideration.
the following developments became
apparent:
The United States will ask Great
Britain 10 state clearly her Intentions
as 10 further increasing the arma-
nent OF merchant vessels, including
transatlantic liners
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin was
requested to furnish promptly a state
ment u the facts in the Yarrowdale
case. and Of the status of three Amer
leans known to be among the crew
German government as prisoners of
war because they served on an
armed" belligerent ship.
The United States may change its
present attitude as to armed mer-
chant vessels. which. as last outlined,
held that no matter what armament
ship may carry. she may not be
uses her guns for definite "aggres-
siye" action
Ton!ght's recurrence of the naval
controversy. which has been a source
OF anxiety to tho United States since
the beginning of the European war,
grew out of two immediate causes.
Authentic reports that Great Britain
plans to mount fore and aft guns on
all transatlantic liners, dismountinE
all but one stern gun at Halifax. he-
fore bringing the vessels to tho Uniteds
States, came from English sources.
Would Sink Such Ships on Sight
From Teutonic diplomats came em-
phatic statements that ships thus
armed would be looked upon as auxil-
larry warships and would be sunk by
submarines on sight. With the scaa
made the scene of open combat be-
tween merchant vessels of the entente
powers and submarine of the Teu-
tonic allies seeking to enforce food
blockade, the safeguarding of Amer
lean citizens on the high seas would
force summary action by the United
States.
Confronted with this situation,
Secretary of State Lansing confined
| himself to the declaration that the en-
I tire question was under serious con-
sideration at the department. 1t was
apparent, however. that the adminis-
tration was gravely concerned over
the possibilities and that 4 new line
| of action in the armed ship contro-
versy was probable, Secretary Lans-
/ ing said that up to the present no
! decision regarding change OF plans
/ has been reached.
While a ruling of the State Depart
ment held that vessels clearing from
American ports as peaceable mer-
chantmen can carry only single gun
astern, the department has fatty de-
claTed that because vessel carries
more guns is not a satisfactory rea-s
/ son for declaring her warship and
sinking her without warning. In .
memorandum prepared last March on
the question, the department said:
+ Must Have Conclusive Evidence.
/ "A presumption based solely on the
presence of an armament on a mer-
chant vessel of an enemy Is not suf.
! ticlent reason for a belligerent to do.
clare 1t to he a warship and to pro.
coed to attack it without regard to
] the rights of those on board. Con-
elusive evidence of a purpose to use
the armament for aggression 10 cs-s
Z Sential"
Under this construction, 1t was
stated tonight, submarine would
i have to wait for an armed merchant
man to fire the first shot before it
would be justified in sinking it. The
State Department made it plain. how
ever that the fact that submarines are
now armed with guns. formerly they
depended entirely upon their torpedo
tubes for offense would materially ala
ter the situation.
The reported British plan to bring
all ships to and from American ports
via Halifax. where the extra guns
would be dismantled. it was stated AZ
the department. would not avoid the
State Department ruling whatever
form it might take. It was made
clear that the condition of the shfp
when she leaves her horne port 10 the
determining factor in fixing her stA-s
tus and not her condition whom she
reaches a neutral destination.
VIII Become War On Secs.
Diplomatic washington saw in to-
days developments a clear indication
that If the war is to continue IL wtlks
become war upon the sea. GermaM
diplomats declared that IL the neutFai-s
ity rulings of the United States 81
lowed heavily armed entente merchants
ships to prey upon submarines. thos8
submarines would not he backward tn
responding. They asserted that ~ the
war seems doomed to become q war o.
starvation, the submarine would tAk&sF
its place In the open sea. determines 60
prevent all possible supplies from4
reaching Great Britain and her allies
with Americans constantly using IT,
transatlantic liners In their tournexS|
fngs to and fromsEurope thu dAng4Gm
of this situation were plainly appo4&s
ent to official Washington tonight
relentless war between armed m1rchaM4$
vessels and submarines would seoaQ
or later result In another Lneltn1<
disaster. ana would drag th6 un11M