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Show 'grant neutrals . use ofjarbors LIBERTY OF ACTION RESERVED IN DEALING WITH BELLIGERENT BELLIG-ERENT SUBMARINES. American Government Refuses to Accept Ac-cept Contention of Allies That Neutrals Must Deny Submarines Subma-rines Use of Harbors. Washington. The American memorandum memo-randum on use of neutral waters by belligerent submarines, the text of which was made public by the state department Wednesday night, declares de-clares the allies have failed to show why such vessels should be denied entrance en-trance to neutral ports and thai no-, circumstances have been set forth rendering the usual provisions of international in-ternational law Inapplicable to underwater under-water craft The United States reserves complete com-plete liberty of action in dealing with belligerent submarines. No specific mention of the Deutsch-land Deutsch-land is made in the memorandum, although al-though the allied communication is understood to have been prompted by the failure of the United States to consider con-sider that vessel as having any characteristics char-acteristics making her status different from that of the ordinary merchantman. merchant-man. The memorandum, originally sent to France, Great Britain, Russia and Japan August 31, in reply to their Identic memorandum of August 22, later was sent also to Italy and Portu-gaL Portu-gaL While the allied communication was published some time ago, the American reply was not given out till Wednesday, when the recent U-boat activities seemed to make a public statement of the government's position posi-tion imperative. President Wilson and Secretary ot State Lansing discussed in detail at Shadow Lawn Wednesday night German Ger-man submarine attacks on merchantmen merchant-men Sunday off the New England coast. The conference lasted until late at night and will be continued. It was indicated by officials that the facts so far collected through governmental govern-mental agencies have disclosed no grounds for drastic action by the United States government because ot the attacks themselves. No evidence has been found that international law has been violated by the German submarine sub-marine or submarines. It was understood, under-stood, however, that the president and. Secretary Lansing discussed the wisdom wis-dom of pointing out to Germany the inadvisability of operating her submarines sub-marines in proximity to the international interna-tional waters of the United States. |