North Carolina Newspapers

TOE WEATHER. II '' V V-TT- ' "'V:. .' . ' I. .. .V -. ' " Kain or snow in eaut ana problkly; ' J - V," & f !T Tli.l TTHWVS II A" I I Vv"- 1U tTCLRBH i 000 V 'w'"WMt.' J ;-y -.. ,Ji- IL JL Jl I- r -vp k'1 cSEl: 1 - y . omb scnoAr . -. - . VOL. XCTII-KO. 157 V ILKIKeTOK K I o; TITESP ATrMORKlKG, BRIJABY 29, 1916 WaOLE NUMBER 39,518 FORT DOUAUMONT IS NOW REPORTED TO BE IN A MASS OF RUINS IN LUSITAII CASE FELIX DIAZ PLANS A lE'J HEV0LU1N TVVTESN1EN i ASSURANCES Crushing Counter Attacks i of French Drive Some of the Germans Back. . FIGHT STILL FURIOUS Further Advances Claimed by Germans Emphatically Denied by French- Germans Inaugurate Offens ive in Champagne. . . I'ort Douaumontlias: fallen to tie Germans, but is reported to be in ruins. Around this position the most desperate fighting of the bat tle has been going, on since Fri day. Here French counter at lacks were delivered ? with - such crushing force that some of .the German detachments were driven back, and one regiment i? almost encircled. To the west . of this fort in a hand-to-hand encounter, the French have ejected the. Ger mans from a small redoubt which they had capture. . - The tide of battle around Ver dun apparently has rjot:tunie6 in favor of either side While the Germans claim further, advances,' the French are equally emphatic in their assertion that they check ed the attacks of the masses of: the ? German mfantryseritiigairistL , them. Movement in Champaa-ne. "V; Throughout the ehtlr sector of "Ver dun, except on the western bank of the Jleuse rlver,wh9tp.ttiiyitim&n bombardment has slackened pomewhat, the artillery duels are. still , of vast proportions. To the southeast, ? the French at Fresnes, In the Woevre re giorv have put down, two German 'at tacks against that town but' the Ger raans have inaugrurated an, important movement in the Champagrne district, where by a surprise attack, they suc ceeded in entering -French, advanced positions of a supporting: trench over a front of nearly a mile, chargring: more than a thousand men. '' --. : ; f the French have thrown into the ' fray at Fort Douaumont, the German war office declares that their : efforts have been fruitless and that, the, Germans have advanced their lines ' toward Bras ana vacherauville It also is claimed I .. . I mat the Germans have entirely ex Polled the French from the Meuse pen insula, southward from Samognenx, and west of Vacherauville.: V . On the Russian front around ?Fried r:chstadt and Illoukst there . has been ii'-avy artillery, machine gun' and rifle i "ng. in Galicia the Russians repulsed1 ai' attempt by the Austro-Hungarians t- capture trenches , on -. the middle i ijtripa river. ';'- ,v .:- :;; V The Austrians, according to Vienna, nave put down with sanguinary losses ju Italian attack against positions on octh sides of Monte San Mlchaele and ast of Azco. and also destroyed an Italian trench on the Gorlzia head. . , Continue to Drive Turks. ; Tlie Russians are still operating suc cessfully against the Turks, who fled from Erzerum, and the Ottoman forces m the Persian battle zone. Farther uth, in Mespotamia, a bombardment by the British of a Turkish camp ort the left bank of the Tigris river. re-"-'ited in heavy casualties t. the Turks. Further details of the fighting be ween the British and tribesmen of- tiCered bv TnrVn In Wad...,. : Vrr-vn ?ow that the leader of tHo tribesmen, -un Bey. a brother? of ithe Turkish ar minister, was killed fend his prin cipal subordinate wounded, . and that yie tribesmen left large; numbers of aead and wounded on the field as their main force fled.. '- f .- v '. - The Italian hospital ship Mareohirac Je been sunk in the Adriatic Sea, off jnt coast of Albania. lf- is beUeved th vessel struck an .Austrian mine. n? v the cxtet of thi casualties -lias ot become known, It ife reported that mey were numerous. ! ' MUCH ARTILLERY; SEIZED. '- i Kali ans Flee From nwL.... i. nu. order 1b Austriai Report. ' K-inVl Feb- 28' (By flrelew to" Say ; he official Austrian statement tv ?uterday says tlhat by the-cap-tu .of the Albanian riort of Durazzo, -Mistnans took 23 cannon, includt "g .ix coast defentse rfuns. 10,00a rifles 1 ir,,n -?- rge amount fc . f artillery am munition and provisioW . - The flight of the Italians from Du- according to tihe report, was frierl out liactn,, f - I . j, j scribing the capture, the - statement , ,. . n grca.1, uiourucr say u-uu? -th forerfoon one column, a.'ro. IV5 flrc of thV Italians, advanced t i - i e northerr Istmus to Portos. ' ti-ori T res norJth of Durazzo.: uur auYdncins- acrogg the southern ''lU'niia n-.r. kl.J. 7, 7".. . . . tu r. . "lu,wa ai me DSgmmng the T tali numerous detachments by wad swimming knd floattng, - reached ADVANCE WITHOUT ' REGARD TO LOSSES Order Given , the German Troops Before Verdun. "FRIGHTFUL MASSACRE" Is tke Way German Prisoners Describe Effect of tlie Freneh Gnn-Flre. . . .. , Kreneh Re-Take Rains of ; Fort Dooaamont. J. I ' (Paris, Feb.' Zl (Delayed) "A frigrlit f ul massacre'" is how German soldiers taken prisoners in the battle of : Ver-dn- describe the effect of the French artillery," machine' gun nd' rifle ' fire. But the impetus of the assaulting force was not diminished thereby during the first :'fcur days, because, fresh troops were thrown into the battle uiTceasing-ly.- - : '::A - " "Advance, no matter what the losses may;; be," was the order' given to the German troops before the attack. This is vejrififed by documents . found on dne of the captured officers. -'; "'The TOost critical-moment inthe six days' ' action' was when;, the Germans gained ;.a footing in? the entrenched camp by , the, capture of- Fort Douau roont.; The least- hesitation on the part'of the defen'ders. would have been disastrous.' vThe. "Germans redoubled their efforts to take advantage of any confusion, but the- French Immediately begun .a counter offensive.' . ; - Fren ch fnf antry- advanced .at'" double jquick to the trumpet charge-and leaped ajtne nrst ranks-of the Germans with irresistible 'fury. The clash wis mur derous to both sides. The thinned French ranks were not to be denied but went on to the second German wlur while reinforcements were hurried" te. were driven out - of theJUriuna- f the fort. 4 ' - t ,"A cry of triumph went;' up all along the French ". line, and ther ardor - of t the counter attack' was : redoubled. ' In ? the meantime' an artillery duel, surpassing in .intensity any previous action of the war, added to the carnage.: ..: '- "The battle how seems to have reach ed a critical ", point. The - assaulting forces have .recoiled ' slightly in .the region, of Douaumont, leaving the regi ments which .occupied the fort cut off and surrounded by French troops.", ! NUMBER OF; PERSONS SAVED v ,J .ii-. 1ST MALOJA DISASTER IS 'MU Of . Tnis Number .72 Were Passengers .r.v- and 230 Members of ew.V.T.v? 'London, Feb. 28. Owners of the Pe ninsular & Oriental. Line steamer Ma -loja,' which struck, a mine and Bank oft Doyer Sunday, announced tonight that the total number,, of ' persons saved ; Hi the disaster was SOL Of these 72 were nbounriiri 99. " inmhra nf tlia Wnn. passengers, 92 jnembers of the Euro pean crew, and 187 of the Lascar crew. Milwaukee, Wl s Feb. 2$. Charles Duncan Forbes, first , officer of the Ma loja, which was sunk by a mine off Dover.' cabled his sister, Mrs: Charles IZ' Kissing, , of Milwaukee, . that he-: is among the saved. Topeka, Kas., Feb. 2S Ralph Foster, son of ' Rev. Festus Foster, of Topeka, a passenger aboard the Maloja which sank' off ' Dover 'yesterday, cabled his parents ttoday he had been rescued un hurt. :; ;-: . 5 POSTOFF1CE jAPPROPRIATIOIf "7 BILL PAS SED BY THE' HOUSE. ... i, . . . -.. Provides tor Substituting Snaee Basis , 1 for Weia-nt on Rallrobdv . " ' " v--.,-' .-. vv . - " --.-"", ' Washington Feb. 28 Over bitter and persistent opposition the House tonight passed the annual postofnee appropria tion bill with : its provisions, for sub stituting a space basis for the present weight : system of paying railroads ': for carrying . mails and prohibiting any in? crease in the existing limit of 50 pounds on parcel post : packages. ; The measure . carries . appropriations aggre gating $321,000,1)00 to operate the pos tal system during the coming year. -' -i The fitrht airainat ;the space payment plan, long advocated : by the Postoflice Department? affd Vigorously opposed by the v;ranrDads, : wa led by Kepresenta tive- Cannon, of Illinois; His proposal that the, matter of rate adjustment be left to the Interstate . Commerce ' Com mission was defeated, 79 tto 54. ... TWO CARGOES OF DYES. shipment from Rotterdam Will be Per mitted ny England. - : r '. v . V v , Washington,' Feb. '28. $freat Brit ain will - permit the shipment t of two cargoes of dyestuffs, valued at 55,000, 000 from Rotterdam h to the United States. Ambassador '' Page, at London, has advised the State Department, anal officials here are hopeful that aermany will make an exception to its cargo by granting permission for their exporta tion. --j . t4 " - -" - FIVE 'STORES. BURNED." J ' -r -. ' ' Fire Yesterday at Crewe, Vw Dld Xian- :r ldern4e vDamage. V.'v ' Crewe; Va.r Feb. 28.V-Fire starting Jn the rear ofthe A. Oliver grpcery. anff harware store- completely': 'destroyed tbat property and f ourotber stores, to day. and damaged; .a hotel, . ..theatre, No Other Limit in , .. ,-, i -1-., : . 'Enlarging vthe Navyl ADMIRAL KNIGHT SAYS Tells House Committee That Eves Novr W; Should Have n Navy Equal to J . Any Aflopt Talks of Dam- : - ' - " srer of Invasion. - ' . .Washington, Feb; '2S.--New construc tion for. the navy should be limited this year only by the country's facilities 'to build, Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, president of the Navy ' War College, told , the House .Naval committee today. If an adequate fleet .-. is to be made ready by 1925, he declared, an imme diate inquiry should tfe made to deter mine the extent of these facilities, and to plan" for even greater building pro grammes each year . until the .United States navy is the strongest force afloat. : r, - : . ' .v. ' ,. "It is - a big . programme, of course," said Admiral Knigrhti "but we have a big country to defend." . : - Only the limits f .construction fa cilities, the admiral - explained, - had aused the general board to fix 1925 as the date the American fleet' should equal "any afloat. ' , . ' : V , "If we could get it," he added. "I would saywe heed ; it. now, today, t (To morrow." - ' . ,:., !. - 7 t Spetre of Double Assault. In reaching - its decision the witness said tbe board had. before it the spectre- of a double assault- . against the United.: States, with enemies in the At lantic and Pacific to.meet at the same time.v , He. said .the fleet proposed would meet ;any " such combination that did not, Including England.' and'he. thought 1 it unlikely that a combination against the tUnltedStates..-lncluding' that coun try ever -would be? formedk. Asked if he. had any reason tq beteve'that there was danger-of another combination, the Adirala,:.ifcN.buVlie-yH not pressed io'-ajmpltfy- his statement. . : Representative. Butler ased -whether the. suduep- entrance r of tlie v-TJnitevi States-11110 ithe'ijws-f prmay'ai "feuprpma- cy wouq noy Fattae. omer nations, in -A - o rr t . - , -7 orrunf n.'ipey American" fleer bgan to approach the British,-., for instance, ia slse. - -V. . ' , J - , A8ked ibyiReBrsQ.ntative Kelty what the present fleet could do in -case of an attack; Aimiral Knight saldr , i If we; were; attacked 'hy the English fleet." H think? the navv !oTikht.to shut I itself u"p i-ir some -harbor, . but against any;-other . aaVy, we -ought -to., go out and do the -best we can." He-was not without hopes, he said, 'that-victory might "lodge' with the smaller force. War With England a Question. -.It wa ;. suggested .'that - war with England was ; extremely "unlikely. Ad miral ..Knight said" this was' an open question, 'although the general board's plans, had-not, contemplated any possi ble enemy combination including Eng land. The; strange diplomatic develop ments of the present war.:he thought, made - almost anything' - possible, and added: w,. . - " Certain features, which .. we have heretofore regarded , as features of safety, have now become, points of danr jf Continued on. Page Two.) ' OIILY All EMPTY SHELL Six Montfo it Ww "Un clawd" l tlie Frwich. Declared to Hold' Neither . Cannon Nor Garrison Figrht Goeu on, Making ' -v tketNumby of : Dead.- and ! C S "VVoiindedi Incalculable. -- PftrisFeb.i27"peiayedi fight for possessionof Verdun goes on with increasing violence . multiplying Che dead ;; and 'wounded : to ar. point where h4 losses have gone beyond the cal culators. 'It Is im)possible to j verify how many' reinforcements the Germans have t broyght up, btit7 the ; military critics' belieVe that of the 300,000 men that beganthe attack few will be 16ft at the end of the first fighting, Verdun, the object of .-all this sacri fice, s nothlnghut ' "an . ancient fortress,"-. t according -to - authoritative in formation,' and if the Germans take it they -.wiil find it only an . empty shell. Fort pouaumont, before '.which such - a sacrifice in Uvea-t has been . made by its assailants, hold neither cannon nor garrison. - It is six months "since .the French1, ' putting' Into practice the les sons of-the warHBhowing that fortresses are more vulnerable than - field works. "Bnblassed Veraun, and all- its pro visions - remains and ammunitions as weifc as those In the- surrounaing forts were sent to the rear. , .v r s-TEighty ' thousand . jnen and several hundred cannon- would have been the trophies of a -conquest of the place in September. 1914., - ; . . 1 - Today Verdun also.ris :not.a. fortress. It has neither "canuon'nor. garrison, and has ' no provisions, except .ior - the cur rentneeds Of thVPQPulat!on.,;Tbe value of the town Itself vis.; scarcely - more thanthatNof any one of ,the villages jto- tb n"?th- taken br jthe .Germansln thn last six days, V since ' it?? was- never uldbe FORTRESS 0 V ROUI Intends to Organize Troops in Oaxaca, is Report. WILL FliGMT CARRANZA Estimated : He Mljjcht Marshal Force of SoVOOO Nen ia Southera Mexico . Moyemeot ,.- lot Regarded , Serious Menace ' .... ' ,.t ,: v .y -. . . ..Washington Feb 28 Felix Dial, who has ; beep ? wjLtched '- for , several months by ; Jlepartment ' . .of . Justice agents, because .pf'uspected activities in violation ;of?i American neutrality, apparently ' haatlef ' the United ' States for Mexico with the intention of launch lng-a new". revpJuUQrt against - the Car ranza de factor government.- Inf orma tion reaching 1fCi;iais here Indicates that he hopes-torganlze and lead the ) troops bf his native' State, Oaxaca, and such other -:foroe$ te! southern "Mexico as he caji"jpathvaboutfhlm.v . f 7... ; General Diaz .. ief.t ,New Orleans Fri day for: Havana "where several Mexi cans whose.na.me4 have, been associated with . his report?. pIKj a. revolutionary movement were tigide'retood to be await ing ' him.' TeodoVo' jlebesa, a former governor general of Vera Cruz, and General Aureliano Blanquet, war minis ter tinder HUertawre reported to be among;' thml C3 .X ; Although, "Diax lUded the Federal agents-; detailed to 'watch him. Depart ment, of Justice -officials said tonight that since ' no videnee warranting his I arrest had been frundr and as he left the country, according to reports, as a private cltisen( of MexfCfiU and not as. leader of any -organised, , revolutionary movement," nottling' probal5y could have been done to detain : htnv ' ' '- -'Hw 'Long sSeea.f Absent. : . i , General Dias, a nephetif-of the former. Mexican 'President pf - that name, . has been absent from Mexico, since Huerta, whom ': he;; helpedstablish, in-power. sent him abroad n5 MDlornatic mls- fiin4fcyof.i4.1mVlkaB in th United States and Although he was suspected -tif being connected with the revolutionary plot for which Huer ta -and several" others were, indicted, no direct evidence against him -ever de- I yeloped. . '-. ". " '. . Oaxaca, .where , Var is expectea to launch, his movement, is the only state that has held aloof during the fighting of the past two. years. Led ' by state officials the people declared their inde pendence, and Carransa and other lead ers .were told that-the state would , be glad to resume -its placed in the union whenever rany one (demonstrated that he had - restored a stable central gov ernment ; "-; . i- - ' J- '" '.'.-''. After Carranza's recognition by the foreign governments, he chose not - to parley with the people-of Oaxaca, how ever, demanding that they accept his government unconditionally. To en force this" demand military expeditions now are ' being" directed against the state. and the state's army is said ' to be nreDaring to resist. ; It Is toward this nucleus of organised ' resistance that Diaz 'is said to be , moving, accom panied by Lee Christmas, an -American widely known through Central Amer ica because of his participation -in rev lolutionary enterprises. ; . Might Marshal 25,000 Men. With the Oaxaca forces as a. basis it is estimated that Dia ."might marshal nearly 25,000 men, but ..they would ' be poorly equipped ana almost without, ar tillery.v The new movement Is not re garded by : officials .. here .as seriously menacing ,Carransa's government,.- be cause they; doubt Diaz's ability to es tablish himself as a popular leader or to secure i- sufficient funds.; They : ad mit, however,,, that an organized revo lution among, the hills of southern Mex ico, where-", small band might hold out against' vastly superior forces, would further complicate the already complex situation' . confronting the de r: facto President.' . - . "' : - . . Although Carranza adherents profess to see -in the presence -at -New -York of Francisco., de la .Barra, once Mexican ambassador here, the working out - of the financial ends of Diaz's plans, there has been1 no eviden.ee that De la Barra has secured any financial backing in the usual money sources of this 'coun try. - ". .... . '.' .. ' ' -; CAUSES MUCH COMMENT. Diaz's Reported Intention Widely, Dls- - - "eusWed tuNe-w Orleans. ..New Orleans, Feb. 28.. News that Felix Diaz haJt?. left the United States for Mexico to. start a new . revolution. ? (Continued on age Ten.) THE PAY IN CONGRESS - . - - . SENATE ' Mel nf. nonn . s i Resumed -'debate on Shields watetr power bill,' Senator Husting introduc ing substitute by conservationists, - . Indian committee continued work5 on details of army-reorganization plan. . Unanimously ; ratified Haltien protec torate treaty. 4 , " Recessed' at 60 P. M to noon Tues day, i - --. HOUSE ( ' Met at noon -1 . ,""'" Ways . and. means committee favor ably, reported bill to repeal free sugar provision - of the "tanu law. -. - Naval 'and - military 'committees con tinned at work on " Natlonf 1 ' Defense , Passed "Post Office Appropriation bill. carrying approximately.' 9321,000,000. . ' -Adjourned-. at 1:10' Pr M. : to noon ; of IS-r 1 iiif'.r vSff ''v Mr nrr r -w c& n r a. - i Speaker Clark, of the .House of . Rep resentatives, Claude Kltchin, - officially leader ; of -the majority, -and Henry D. P'lood, chairman of the Foreign, Af fairs committee of the House, had an important - conference-, with President Wilson' Friday morning, ! February 25 about the ; German threat to Are on armed merchant vessels after March 1. William J. Stone is chairman of the Senate committee on Foreign Relations. His letter to the President Thursday brought forth the - reply that the ad ministration 'would oppose 'this policy of Germany. Senator -Thomas P. Gore, senator- from; Oklahoma had , a resolu tion against Americans travelling on foreign liners which carry armament. This is said to have had the backing of William J. Bryan. SAYS THE EATON-ROWE GRAFT A MINOff Attorney Stedman .? to Make "Important Revelations." SnysHe Will Produce, Witnes . Who Will Reveal Extensive - Salary : , Splitting at Chicago City Hall. ' Day's Developments. r Chicago, Feb. 28. Asserting that the Eaton-Rowe graft controversy was, a minor event compared to revelations which he would make, Seymour Sted man," attorney f or . Mrs." Waller Page Eaton, former .head of the Social Wel fare Department who has charged she bad been' compelled to give up part of her salary for the benefit of a mem ber of Mayor William Hale Thompson's femilyj today declared, he would bring forth a witness .who would reveal ex tensive salary splitting , in the city ball. ' " -.. ' 7 ' . - Today's hearing on; the Eaton-Rowe case itself developed little of interest. Charles Fitzmorris,' Mayor Thompson's secretary was -the only witness and he testified that- the - mayor had ordered that no campaign . . contributions be assessed by department heads. The - hearing was adjourned till next Friday. . The salary scandal situation will have an -important bearing on the , alder manic primary election tomorrow w bi'ch marks . the close ; of one of the bitterest campaigns.-that ever charac terized sich an event in the city's his tory" The voters f will elect : one alder man "from each of the , city's. 35Twards end. one municipal - court- judge to fin Vacancy. - - . . - . -y .. - Interest centers in the fight between Mayor - Thompson," -Republicans elected last April "by- a " plurality of 150,000 ane ''nine, ' Republican. : aldermen : wlio hA jB opposed the . mayor's policies and whv. 'now, seek :.renomlnatlon."--PurIng the campaign there 'has been; two. men shot-numerous fist.: fights. . three suits for 1 1 ander and -an exchange ofepithe ts bar principals .whicn included;-.. - fir Lx-uovemor- rattson, of Tennessee, Speaks in City. BIG RALLY LAST NIGHT Speakers ; Championing . Prohibition - Cause Point Out Evils of Liquor . Traffic to .'Large Audience at First Baptist. . Prophesying . that . National prohibi tion will be' a fact within five years if not sooner, speakers - at a rally held last night at the First Baptist church in Wilmington before an audience which entirely ' filled ' the large audito rium ably championed the cause and pleaded for - local support in carrying out. the programme which has been mapped out' by the organizations which are conducting the hght In Washing ton and in the individual states to bring this,aboUt. : ' . V The' chief addresses were made Toy former Governor' Malcolm R. Patter son, of. Tennessee,' and Dr. Madison Swadener, of Indiana, while - Rev. Dr. A. D. McClure, ot Wilmington, who presided at the meeting,- also spoke briefly expressing the opinion that National- prohibition might be . secured in as short .a time' as four years. The regular programme of the even ing was preceded by a short devotional service, during whichthe congregation sang, "Stand' Up,".; Stand Up for Jesus," 'Onward Christian Soldiers,' and other hymns. -' .-.'i . Governor Patterson's Address. .' Former Governor -Patterson spoke in part as follows: . "Mr. Chairman, I thank you very much, for the kind words with which you . have introduced me,-and we also want to express how much we were delighted, by the reception accorded us In Wilmington, " but we do think that as two dry speakers, we are enti tied to a different brand of weather. "I have hot always believsd in pro hlbltion. In fact, at one time I thought that any man who did not. believe In it was just a . little insane, but I have through experience, reaehed the convic tion that the liquor traffic is the most degrading thing in life.-: "It you willi pardon a reference to personal experiences, I will state that I was reared in -Memphis at a time when there were 1,000 licensed and un licensed saloons in the city. It was a city in- which young .men tended- to lead fast' lives. I never; was a confirm ed drunkard in my life. I drank, and drank too much. Any man who drinks, drinks too much.'-- , "During my early political life It never occurred to me that " prohibition was a remedy for the evils r of the liquor traffic. ; I was obsessed with the idea that a man's ' personal .- liberty should not.be Interfered: with. "I served six years in Congress. When I first went , to' Washington there were 1,000- saloons doing a flourishing business in the nation's capital.,. That number has since been reduced to 300 "Later I was: twice -elected and. serv ed two . terms as governor -of Tennes see. During my-second campaign pro hibition .had been the leading issue of the campaign:. I was still not in favor of prohibition and when the state leg islature passed, a' state-wide law, I ve toed it, and - it was-passed over jmy veto. ; - . ' .- .... w ' "Th time came- later in' my life when-I felt the, deadly blow J of liquor as .it turnea om'mew, us '- wrath. threw away -all- pride t of " opinion of ..(Continued on Page Two.v - j Germany; Declares They, Havo Not Been Modified by New ' Submarine Order. TO SINK ARMED SHIPS x manders Are Ordered to Fire on Submarines. Washington, Feb. 28.-Germany, in ', formal note" presented by Count -von - Bernstorff; to Secretary Lansing today, . reiterates assurances regarding the f u ture conduct , of submarine "warfare ,in the Lusitania case; declares those as surances have not been modified by the memorandum, .setting, forth its inten tion to treat armed merchantmen of the Entente Allies . as auxiliary cruis ers after midnight tomorrow, and. at tempts to Justify the issuance of the memorandum by presenting evidence -and assertions designed, to prove ' that the British government has instructed merchantmen to use their armament for purposes of ' attack' in violation, of-' a's sti ranees given to the United States. , Later It" was said at the State De partment that while the United States; stood " unalterably, for the right bf a merchant ship to carry guns for de fense, ? it was hot now, and never had been, contending that Americans could tiavel with immunity oh ships haviftg orders to act dffenslvely. ? - ' . Might Have Important . Bearing. . It, was. indicated that if ;.the claims were, sustained, , the fact would. ;have an Important .bearing. Upon the future attitude-of this government. t ..A- copy of the so-called British ,. in-striCti82;which;wereJianded-to Mrr GerjaxdnBeirn'is: s',dere4 pV Secretary-Lansing to be ;the all-traportanty element in the- situation as It stands at present have not yet arrived. :.: Pending their receipt, and a subsequent-decision-regarding the At titude 5 of , the United states the-state Department is prepared to consider ahy overt act committed by the' comman ders of German and Austrian subma rines in the light of the facts. It was authoritatively stated that the depart ment probably would not act-upon the case of -an American: who sustained in juries abroad a 'vessel which it could be definitely established was -to be of fensively used. ',; Authoritative information obtained ' here tonight indicated that the British , government probably .would combat ttl- legations of Germany that British ships . armed ostensibly for defense are . in reality armed for- offensive purposes. It was said that British masters had not been instructed to hunt for sub marines, that on the contrary had been told to do everything possible to avoid the craft, and that only In the event of a hostile submarine approaching . without warning nea" renough to use t bembs or torpedoes were the skippers authorized-to use their guns. . Possible Difficulties Remote. ' All things considered, the State 'De- . partment is understood to feel that . the possibility is more or less remoto for difficulties arising in .the neat; fu ture as a result of the new German and Austrian policy. The belief of of ficials that commanders of German arid Austrian submarines will not attack without warning armed merchant ves sels upon which there may be Ameri cans, -was strengthened by the declara tion in the German note received today. acquiesced in by Austria through Baron Zwiedinek, charge of the em bassy, here, that the orders issued to -the naval commanders were so formu lated as to ; prevent the destruction of enemy liners "on account of their' ar- r mament unless such armament is proved." .--'- In the, note presented by count, von Bernstorff several references are mado to' declarations or the United States in previous correspondence in-the. Lusl- tania case. There were strong intlma- tlons today that administration Officials are inellned to resent the presentation, -of certain expressions and references without the text in yfhich they ap peared 1 holding that in doing so the uerpian' government has given a false impression of the attitude ot tnis gov ernment: It was even suggested that should the United States reply to t .tho communication presented today it. may take occasion to point out the errone-. ous construction .-placed upon "several. of these expressions. The communication from1; Germany probably' will be considered by Presi dent Wilson and his cabinet tomorrow and official Indication regarding' It la expected soon thereafter. , ' .Reiterate Previous Fledges. The note at the outset reiterates the previous pledges, -which were given on September . I and October 6, last year. for the safety of unresisting liners, ana then goes on to. say the German gov ernment does not believe those assur ances have-been modified by the-new; memorandum. .? During the - negotiations .over;, the Lusitania, it says, no mention was made of armed merchantmen? and . tbat th United States In Orte of its notes on the , LttsiUnla mentioned unarmed merchantmen. - Attention then Je called to .the assurances previously given- in which it is -stated that liners will not be sunk without warning, provided they do not offer resistance. Attention also, is called to the statement of th! American government in its notice to port authorities that the presence of armament on board a' merohant. vessel creates the assumption that" the .vessej is armed f ?r, ' Offense. ; ; -v ' V It 'is staged that a submarine com. mander cjk.rmof -be expected- to warn) t . ' (Continued on Page, Two.) . 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