The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-30
LUSITANlA SINKING
AN ACT OF PIRACY,
SAYS ELIHU ROO!
Italian Delegates Agree
With Americans on
Submarine Rules.

Limitation OF armsments is not
the end, IL only is the means to
promote the peace of the world.
Mankind is tired Of the horrors.
the losses and the intolerabie bur-
dens Of war.
Elihu Root. veteran American
statesman, pokesmon from the
legal viewpoint of Americas in
terest In the success of the srms-
ment conference now in session
here, made they very plain yester-
day. Addressing the committee on
naval armament he pleaded for
rules and regulations that would
end for all time the unwarranted
use Of submarines in unrestricted
piracy in time OF war.
Lssitanta SHAKING Piracy.
I'VE cannot justify ourselves In
separation he said. without some
declaration that will give voice to
the humane opinion Of the world
upon this subject, which was the
most vital, the most heartfelt. the
most stirring TO the conscience and
to the feeling OF the people of all
our countries Of anything that oc-
CURED during the late war.
II feel to the depth of my heart
that the man who was responsible
for sinking the Lusitsnia commit
ted an act OF piracy. / know that
all my countrymen with whom
have had intercourse feel the same,
and ! should be ashamed 20 go on
with this conference without some
declaration, some pronouncement
which will give voice 70 the feeling
and furnish an opportunity for the
capitalization of the opinion OF
mankind in the establishment Of a
rule which will make IL plain to all
the world that no man can commit
such an act again without being
stigmatized as a pirate"
Speeches Were Eloquent.
The Outstanding feature OF yes
terday's session was the participa'
tion of all of the American dele
gates in the discussion in favor OF
the Root submarine program. Sen
stors Lodge and Underwood reiter-
ated the arguments previously made
that there must never again be an
unlimited submarine warfare di'
rected against merchant ships and
noncombstants.
Their speeches. as disclosed b,
the official communique, were eio
quent in the extreme, and the two
Senators backed up Mr.. Root in
every way.
Following their speeches, Senator
Schanzer. for the italians. made il
very plain that there was no OBJ
lection whatever to the origina
Root proposals that the American
principles OF international law. al
they apply to submarine warfare
should be re-enacted at this confer
ence.
Among other things he said
Each one of us has responsibilities
toward the public opinion of tn
entire world. and we cannot eveI
for one instant allow that IL SHOULD
be thought that we are opposed Il
any measure tending to render wal
less inhumane. II was the Italisr
delegation which proposed th'
abolition of poisonous gases. an,
was IL not only yesterday that we
declared our most implicit and un'
conditional sympathy for Mr.. Roots
proposalf? Can there be any on,
who might suppose even for on,
instant that we do not share tho
sentiments of horror for the meth,
DDS of war which brought about
the criminal sinking of the Lusi.
tania?
Tt is surely not the Italian dele.
cation that one could reprosch 70,
any hesitation IN supporting any
thing which caf make us progress,
toward a higher civilization
mo country Is more interested
than Italy in putting an end TO the
abuses Of submarine warfare. IL is
therefore, not the principle itseli
which We have contested. hsc
|only wished to submit q few re-
marks on the wording Of the text
which has been put before US.
What we would ask is that
pending the arrival of our govern
ments Instructions, we examine tho
various sides of this proposal with
the attention which the subject re.
auires. because we have the keer
desires that the new regulations oi
international law, which will coms
forth from this conference shoul<
be. fully satisfactory to all thost
who believe that the world can snc
must make further progress on ths
path Of civilization
The oniciai statement issued a
the afternoon session OF the arm
conference follows in part:
~Nr. Balfour quoted from tn,
Ce~stsSed o~ Pass rss.