be abhorrent
to one's conscience. A Quaker gun is not only a paradox, but a sinful
one.

Most of us, however, believe that a defensive war, against aggression
threatening the life and liberties of a nation, is just and right. In
the present war both parties claim to be fighting in self-defense. We
are not their judge; we must take both at their word; what we owe
both, ethically, is simply equality of treatment.

We help both alike in waging a just war. To do otherwise is to take
part in their war. With the flux and flow of the contest which makes
our trade valuable or worthless now to one side, now to the other,
both ethically and legally we have nothing to do.

Armenian, Orduna, and Others

_The diplomatic significance of the sinking of the Leyland liner
Armenian on June 28 off the northwest coast of Cornwall is thus dwelt
upon in a Washington dispatch to_ THE NEW YORK TIMES, _dated July 2,
1915:_

The lessons to be derived from the destruction of the Leyland liner
Armenian off the English coast are expected to have a most important
bearing upon the diplomatic controversy between Germany and the United
States over the safety of human life in the submarine warfare.

It is believed here that the Armenian affair demonstrates that it is
possible for German submarines of the latest types, when equipped with
outside rapid-fire guns, to comply with the demand of President Wilson
that the belligerent right of visit and search must be complied with
before merchantmen and passenger ships are torpedoed.

Whatever the facts as to minor detail, the outstanding lesson of the
affair is that a merchantman tried to escape capture and was finally
forced to halt and surrender by a pursuing submarine, and the
destruction of the liner by torpedo was not attempted until after
those on board who survived the chase had an opportunity to take to
the boats. It is evident that if the Armenian's Captain had heeded the
warning shots of the submarine and halted the steamer he could have
submitted to visit and search and in all probability the destruction
of the Armenian could have been effected without loss of life. All
international law experts agree that a vessel that refuses to halt
when challenged by warning shots from a properly commissioned
belligerent war vessel proceeds at her own peril.

In its broader aspects, the Armenian incident presents the most
important lesson that has come out of the German undersea campaign for