AMERICA AND ITALIANS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 51, 29 February 1916, Page 7

AMERICA AND ITALIANS.

ARMED STEAMERS. (Special to "Star.") SAN FRANCISCO, February 2. Italy's determination to brook no interference by Austrian submarines has resulted in all Italian liners to America reaching New York manned with formidable guns to offer " medicine" to any offensive submarine that might be encountered in the war zone. Naturally directly any of thcee armed vessels from Italy reached New York the Teutonic officials in the United States set up a howl that might almost have been heard in the Antipodes. It was felt shameful that a death-dealing submarine of the enemy should be placed in jeopardy when endeavouring to overhaul, search or sink an Italian steamer! These bigoted Teutons in America overlooked the fact that Italy had resolved to protect her merchant ships. '.'. . .",'.,. Arrival at New Yb'rk'oftlie Italian etcamer America, armed like the Verona, already at the same port, with two guns mounted aft, tended to hasten the decision of the United States Government, on the question of whether there should be a change in policy regarding the clearance from American porta of merchant vessels armed for defensive purpoee3. Before the news of the America's appearance reached Washington in Press dispatches, Baron Twiedenck, the Aue-tro-Hungarian Charge, had called at the State Department to ask what the United States intended to do in the case of the Verona.

A similar inquiry was made by the Charge recently before the Italian steamship Guiseppe Verdi sailed from New York, carrying guns mounted like those of these two ships. The Verdi was cleared after the Italian Government had given assurances that her arms would be used for defence only. Baron Twicdenck communicated this fact to Vienna. It is understood that he has not yet received additional instructions, but there have been intimations that Austria if prepaying to inform the United States that inasmuch as a submarine could not approach a vessel carrying such weapons for the purpose of exercising the right of visit and search, every merchantman mounting guns for any purposes would bo considered armed, and would be subject to attack without warning. Secretary Lansing subsequently epent a couple of days preparing a lengthy Note, which he announced he had transmitted to " a foreign Power or Powers," asking all European belligerents to make a general agreement to square their submarine warfare with the principles of humanity and international law, and intimated that the United States took the position that under changed conditions of naval warfare, merchant ships should carry no armament whatever.

All the Powers were notified that, unless they subscribed to such principles, armed merchantmen would be denied entry to Amcrcan porta except under the conditions which applied to warships. Suggestions were offered that a merchant vessel should not be subject lo attack until the belligerent warship had warned her to stop, that the merchantman should oboj - the order of the warship, and that no 6iich merchant vessel ehould be' fired on unless she iried to flee or resist by force. Above all, passengers and crew should be removed to a place of safety. The State Department was fully appreciative of the obstacle, which the adoption of these rules would place in' the way of operations of the submarines because of their structural weakness. If submarines should be required to stop and search merchant vessels before attacking them, and to remove the passengers and crews to plaojp of safety, it was not fair that the submarines should be compelled to oxpose themselves to destruction at the hands of merchantmen, it was urged. Grave doubt was offered as to the legality of carrying armament on merchant ships, for it exposed the lives of innocent people. Merchant vessels carrying guns should be regarded as auxiliary cruisers, was the opinion of Washington, but on the day following this pronouncement the United States Government issued v an order permitting the Italian liners America and Verona to sail from New York conditionally that the Italian Government gave assurances, as it did in the case of the Guiseppe Verdi, that their K n »s would be used for defensive purposes. Baron Twiedcnek's hopes of the United States interning the Italian liners then vanished.