The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1915-02-17
GERMANY MAKES PROPOSITION
Proclamation Momertariy Expected
That Blockade Will Be Declared
on All German Ports-Holland and
Italy Protest 10 Germany.


Great Britain received today through
Walter Hines Page the American
ambassador, Germany's offer to with.
draw her threat of a submarine
blockade against Great Britain II the
British navy would permit the free
movement of foodstuffs to the civil
ian population OF Germany.
There is no expectation here that
the offer will be accepted in fact.
Great Britain is already preparing to
reiailate against Germany by plae-
lng under more stringent control
ships destined to German ports: and
a proclamation momentarily is ex.
pected declaring a blockade of the
German coast, or at any rate the pro.
hibition of foodstuffs destined for
Germany Tne cabinet with its naval
and military advisers considered this
question today and it is understood
the decision is awaiting the formal
confirmation of the privy council
from which all proclamations ema.
nate
In the meantime British and neu-
tral vessels are moving as freely as
usual with the exception OF those be.
longing TO a few Dutch lines which
have reduced their number Of sail
ings. The Norwegian and Danish
insurance companies have given in
structions that steamers insured by
them shall have their national colors.
the names of the ships and the coun.
try of their origin painted conspicu-
ously on the sides Of all vessels.
Holland and Italy like the United
States, have protested to Germany
against her sea war zone threat and
have asked Great Britain not 70
make free use Of neutral flags. Sini.
lar representations are expected to
be made to the two countries tomor.
row in joint note by Norway,
Sweden and Denmark.
For the time being questions Of
diplomacy are arousing more interest
than the actual fighting, although
military movements of the first i'm
portance are taking place, especially
along the eastern line. The German
offensive, strongly supported by
fresh troops, is being pushed with
great ygor along the East Prussian
frontier and in Poland north OF the
lower Vistula. The Russians now
have evacuated East Prussia except
for a small area near Lyck, where
they are opposing the German adj
vance and also are apparently falling
back in North Poland, for the Ger
mans today announced that they
have occupied Plock and Bielsk,
which the Russians recaptured from
tnem short time ago.
While the Germans claim to have
inflicted heavy losses on the retiring
Russian armies, military men here,
and the newspaper correspondents in
Petrograd continue to refer to the
Muscoyite movement as a strategical
retirement to the fortified line, which
lies along the Niemen river through
kovno, Grodno and Lomza, and
thence southwest to the fortress OF
Novoe Georgiewsk.
Heavy fighting also continues in
the Carpatnians and Bukowina. In
Bukowina the Russians also are fall
ing back but they continue to hold
the Carpathian passes further west
and are putting up a stubborn resist
ance to the Austro-German offensive
in that region. Here the fighting Is
taking place in deep snow and both
sides are suffering severely.
The large number of troops the
Germans are using in the east, it is
believed by military observers here.
will prevent for some time any at
tempt by the Germans to break the
deadlock in the west
Although there have been no
events of outstanding Importance on
this front, a long official report OF
the operations of the British force
from November to the beginning Of
February. issued today. shows that
there always is more or less activity
there.
Despite the weather and the state
OF the ground. the report says there
has been lot OF trench fighting, in