The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-07-29
washington Apprehensive That
Crisis In Relations With
Germany May Not Be
Long In Coming.
NOTE FULL OF DYNAMITE
observers Take Military Activ-
Ity to Indicate That Admin
istration Regards Sit
uation GraveIy.
PLAY RESPONSIBLE ROLE
Claim America Has Undertaken
TO Uphold International Law
and Neutral Rights and
Cannot Back Down.
PLAY RESPONSIBLE ROLE

SdiluOL DICK DOWn,
Washington. D. c., July 27.-The feel
fng IN washington that the crisis in
this country's relations with Germany
is drawing close at hand is pronounced
today
The finality of tone in the new note
is in part responsible for this senti-
ment. The evidences of resentment in
a large section Of the German press
over the attitude taken by this govern
ment is likewise responsible in part.
Still another element is the agrees
sive renewal Of submarine warfare by
the undersea boats Of Won Tirpitz. 1t
looks as If it vol not be long until
IT becomes known whether this wal
is to be carried on with due respects for
the rights of neutrals.
Military Plans Important.
A fourth and by no means unimport-
ant factor in impressing Washington
with the gravity of conditions is the
new move Of the administration to give
attention to the lack Of preparedness
of the nation.
Although this is not officially
ascribed to the clouded international
~ lHoil Ill lliO VI LIN AN
side of the Atlantic it is ascribed by
well informed public men. Although
the administration has delayed taking
~cognizance Of the utter inadequacy of
the military forces Of the country n
of the needs of the navy in many par
ticulars, it is considered here hat the
belated decision to take the problem UP
points clearly to appreciation of he
dangerous possibilities in the present
International complications, more es-
rociollv n, tho Mayjnan and German
difficulties.
High officials do not disguise the fact
that they see small warrant for optlm-
ism at this time. Not that they are
talking, on the other hand, in a pesS1-
mistic vein.
Still Hopeful, However.
They have a certain Measure of hope
fitness that Germany will take the long
headed course and proceed on the
theory that such slight military adj
vantages as its submarines may gain
by sinking merchant ships without
visit and search or warning would be
an absurd compensation for lining this
country up with it's enemies. :,
The have not much doubt that If
the German foreign office and the kai-
ser are allowed to follow their bent
this course will be taken, but they are
apprehensive that Won Tirpitz and the
war party will swing the scales to the
other side of the proposition.
Some 0lSpaCCNeS indicate IeIIllduy
will transmit another reply without
much delay. Officials are without dt-
rect information on this point. AS a
matter Of fact they are more concerned
over how the German submarines actu-
ally conduct themselves toward mer-
chant ships, and. especially, passenger
ships carrying Americans, than they
are over the next diplomatic response.
Last Stand Taken.
The more the new American note IS
studied and discussed and the more the
neutral rights problem Is %pondered in
all its phases. the more clearly it is
perceived that this government has ta-
ken the last stand in defense Of inter
national law at sea.
If Germany disregards the American
protestations and if this country per-
mits that defiance to go sharply, posi-
lively and adequately unchallenged,
ever, that she could not admit that the
destruction of the Frye was a violation
of the treaty. "On the contrary" said
Berlin, article 10 expressly reserves
to the party at war the right to stop
the carrying Of contraband and to de-
tain the ~contraband; it follows then
that If it cannot be accomplished in
any other way, the stopping of the
supply may. in the extreme cause, be
affected by the destruction of the sh1I
carrying it. AS a matter Of course, the
obligation of he party at var to pay
compensation to the interested persons
of the neutral contracting party re-
Mains in force whatever be the manner
of stopping the supply"
The United States, as late as June "a
replied that 1.-THE government of tho
United States cannot concur in this
conclusion"
The case of the Lelanaw, it was in
dictated by officials would be argued
along the same lines, as soon as an Of
fetal report was received. Saving OF
the lives of the crew, they thought
could not allay the feeling Of the Amer
lear government that Germany a no
only violated international law, in thu
scase of Americans travelling on unre,
sisting merchantmen, but had foul
times. in the present war, violated {
treaty Of nearly a centuryss standing
Under that treaty the American gov.
eminent considers that the American
ships, Gulflight and Nehraskan, which
were torpedoed without warning, thu
William p. Frye and the L~eelanav
should have beenimmune from violenc
Of any kind.
The Leelanaw was owned by the Lee
lanaw Steamship company, OF Ney
Earnwell. She was $50 feet long an
of 1924 gross tons. She left Galveston
May s and New York May IL with
cargo OF cotton for Archangel: Early y
June she was detained by the Brltisl
authorities at Kirkwall. This actiol
was taken because her cargo, althougl
destined for Russia, was consigned o.
way of Gothenburg, Sweden. Whicl
country forbids the expert of cotton.
Having discharged her cargo a
Archangel it is evident that the Lee
Ianaw was returning from Afciiahss
when she was sunk.
An official statement of the German
government, issued April 10, 1919, sc
forth that flax is ~contraband OF war.