Show ENTENTE NATIONS OF arcon GERMAN ORDER REGARDING ARMING OF merchantmen MERCHANT MEN MAY MAV CAUSE US TROUBLE allies likely to protest any attempt of united states to change rule permitting use of harbors by armed merchantmen merchantman Merchant men washington diplomatic negotiations neg otla of various characters will soon confront the united states as the result of the expected intention of the german and austrian governments to treat armed merchant ships of the en allies as war vessels hiter after february 29 apparently it la Is certain it if the temper of the allied governments can be judged by tile tho feelings of their diplomatic abic representatives here that any attempt by the united states to change c tho the present rule use of american ports by merchant ships armed for defensive purposes will be met diet by a strong protest correspondence respond enco also Is likely to follow if the united states assumes a position which coincides with that of germany and austria regarding the right of submarines to sink armed ships without warning buthe hanl tb united states itself may take lake the initiative should the entente allies impose a virtual boycott on american ports in the event of this government deciding that armed merchant ships entering american waters aro ships of war and therefore subject to internment the view of at least some or of the representatives ot of the entente allies liere hero Is that any change made in the rule bearing on submarine warfare during the war would bo be an act the governments are represented represent oJ as not being prepared to admit that there has been any change in tile tho conditions of naval warfare which would warrant merchant ships armed for defensive purposes being characterized as war ships in teutonic quarters however it Is contended that merchant ships armed for defensive purposes are really armed for resistance and that merchant ulilis have no right to resist moreover tt it Is claimed by Geh germany nany that it Is impossible to adhere to the principle of warning merchant ships lif accordance with the views of the unit ed cd states should they be armedi armed a single singla gla shell of small caliber being sufficient to sink any submarine which might attempt to warn such a vessel it Is admitted submarines have a acht to top stop enemy armed mere merchantman merchantmen merchant men |