The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-01
HUNS THREATEN
REPR|SAL upon
AMERICAN LADS
Uncle Sam Gets Ulti-
matum That Shotguns
Must Not Be Used.
PRESIDENT is FIRM
Warns Hun That Retail
alton Will Be Pursued
IF Purpose Is Car
ried Out.
PRESIDENT is FIRM

Washington. SEPT 30,-Germany's
threat to forfeit the lives OF American
soldiers who are captured with shot
guns viii be met with reprisals on the
part of the United States. Moreover,
were going TO keep on using the guns
A grim note to this effect from
Secretary OF State Lansing went for
ward TO Germany today. It said that
IL Germany carried out her threat in
a single instance the United States
would make reprisals-the plural was
used in his note-as 1t saw fit TO best
protect the American forces. The
secretary's noIe addressed TO the
Swiss charge d'affaires for transmits
sion GERMANY read AS follows.
Americas Answer.
The Secretary of State presents his
com pliments to the charge q atfaires
OF Switzerland. representing the Ger
man interests in the United States
and acknowledges the receipt of his
memorandum, dated September 10.
communicating the protest of the
tIer,nan government agasest~the~~sfse
Of shoiguns by the American army
I'm reply 10 the German protest,
the government of the United States
has TO say that the provision of The
Hague convention. cited in the pro-
test, does not. in its opinion. forbid
the use of this kind of weapon. More
over, in view OF the history of the
shotgun as a weapon OF warfare. and
in view OF the we}i-knuwn effects of
its present use. aud in the light or A
comparison of il wxh other weapons
approved in warfare the shotgun now
in use by the American army cannot
be the subject of legitimate or
reasonable protest.
Eye for An Eye.
The government of the United
States notes the threat of the German
government to execute every prisoner
of war found to have in his possession
shotguns or shotgun ammunition.
Notwithstanding this threat, mas
much as the weapon is lawful and
may he rightfully used, its use will
not be abandoned by the American
army, Moreover, if'the German gov
eminent should carry out its threat
in single instance il will be the
right and duty OF the government of
the United States to make such re-
prisals as will best protect the .Ameri-
can forces and notice is hereby given
of the intention az the government
of the United States 70 make such
i'onri sais
tSignedl ROBERT LANSING"
nv Nftl IIftN VI tttSA. WHICH WAS
handed 10 the state department to-
day by the Swiss charge d'affaires,
is based on Article NNIll of The
Hague convention. which says it is
especially forbidden to employ arms.
projections. or materials calculated To
cause unnecessary suffering"
The prohibition is not directed
against efficiency in killing. wound
ing or injurinr, hut against cruelty
and terrorism. Within the latter
category falls the use of chlorine gas.
fla mmenwerfers" or sawtooth bayo-
nets. IT Is unnecessary to say who
invented and put into effect these
forms Of frightfulness. Because OF
this fact. and the fact that the shot
gun is a legal weapon Of warfare. the
departments attitude is that the Ger
man protest is without merit
I'll Bchoovcs the Source.
Furthermore. IL might he added,
such a protest would be ill-founded,
even though ii came from an enemy
who adhered 10 the laws of war. but