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Show NEW PROBLEM lull IIlL Ub Oi Washington, Feb. 11. Diplomatic negotiations of various characters soon -111 confront the United States as the result of tho expected intention of the German and Austrian govern-l govern-l ments to treat armed merchant ships of the entente allies as war vessels after February. 29. Apparently ft is certain, If the temper of tho allied governments can be judged by the feelings of their diplomatic dip-lomatic representatives here, that any attempt by the United States to change tho present rule permitting tho use of American, ports by merchant mer-chant ships armed for defensive pur-I pur-I poses will be met by a strong protest. j Correspondence also Is likely to fol-J fol-J low If the United States assumes a I position which coincides with that of I Germany and Austria regarding tho E right of submarines to sink armed I ships without warning. I On the other hand, the United I States Itself may take the initiative , should the entente al'lles impose a " virtual boycott on American ports In the event of this government deciding that armed merchant ships entering American wators are ships of war, and therefore subject to Internment. The definite attitude of the United States toward the stated Intention of Germany and Austria will be determined deter-mined after tho formal texts of the notes which have been banded to Am- bassador Gerard and Ambassador Ponfleld are received from Berlin and Vienna. Once the texts are before officials here, it Is believed the position posi-tion of this government quickly would bo defined. Only 18 days remain before be-fore German and Austrian submarine commanders will start to put their new instructions Into operation |