AMERICA PREPARING TO ARM LINERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 962, 12 March 1917, Page 7

AMERICA PREPARING TO ARM LINERS.

ARMED NEUTRALITY WILL END IN WAR. TAFT HOPES TO SEE SUBMARINE SUNK. Australian anil N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 12, 11.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 11. Ex-President W. IT. Taft states:—lf an armed American merchantman sinks a German submarine, as I hope she will, the next, step will he Germany's. If a snhmarie sinks an American ship, the next step will be America's. ' Preparations to arm merchantmen are being completed in the Navy yards. Officials generally admit that armed neutrality is almost certain to lead to war. GOVERNMENT'S PLANS BEING KEPT SECRET TRADER HAS RIGHT TO ATTACK U-BOATS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 12, 9.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 11. While secrecy is being maintained as to plans for arming j ships, State Department officials admit that merchantmen, if they are convinced of hostile intent on the part of a submarine -would be justified in firing on her without waiting to be attacked.