The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-13
Wilson'S Message to Berlin Has Been Sent and
the Answer is Eagerly Awaited With
Greatest of Anticipation.
WILL THE ANSWER Be PEACE OR WAR?
Rather Critical Moment in American Diploma
cy, But Alarm is Being Considered
Over the Outcome.

no position to carry warfare to the
shores Of the United States.
Ofhctaldom accordingly "guessed
that the country would simply begin
preparation for an active struggle at
some future time, in case Germany.
at the European struggles end.
should be SO situated as to make an
attack.
AS this period Of preparation would
extend it was said, over months or a
year or more, officials who speculat-
ed concerning contingency of the
kind, declared It would find tho Unit
ed States In a state Of readiness, at
its end. which would make any would
be belligerent pause.
In one respect 1t was concede, the
Germans could cause trouble.
Their submarine attacks. on Anayi-'
can shipping In the war zone, hither-
to accidental where they have occur
red or are suspected to have occur
red, naturally would become inten-
tional and the losses which Americans
have sustained thus far, presumably
would increase in large proportion.
The suggestion that the American
navy might be engaged, even though
clashes on land between American
and German troops, were in the ma
ture of things, impossible, was scout
cd by experts. Inasmuch as the allies
have been unable to draw the kaisers
sea force into the open, they said,
there was nc probability that the al.
lies and the Americans combined
would be able to do so. All, they
opined, that might be expected, was
the torpedoing of an occasional Ameri-
can warship, would It enter the war
zone just as the allied warships have
been torpedoed-a serious matter, but
not on a large scale significant
The president did not after all, dis
patch his note to Berlin Wednesday
night. Deciding on certain changes In
detail though none OF material import.
ance, he recalled the messag &c from
the state department to the white
house and revised It. It was expected
it would be forwarded today and made
public soon afterward.
News was anxiously awaited OF tho
British liner Pennsylvania, which leav.
ing New York last Saturday with
many American passengers was ex-
pected soon to be in the war zone It
was accepted that torpedoing of this
ship, too, would add danger of an un.
satisfactory end Of negotiations.
There also was much speculation con-
corning the reasons behind the Ger
man embassy's cancellation of the ad.
vertisement it has published the past
two Saturdays in many American
papers, warning American against
transatlantic travel in ships under
any Of the allies flags. At the en-
bassy It was said cancellation was
simply because everyone had seen the
ad who was likley to do go, and there
was no use in continuing it. How.
ever, there were those who thought
they saw in the action, German re-
cession from the kaiser's recent sub
marine policy. 3"
A good deal Of nervousness was ex-
pressed at news OF violent rioting in
Constantinople.
President Takes Rest.
WASHINGTON, May 13--His work
on Americas note to Germany finish
ed, President Wilson left the white
house for short automobile ride ct
1O:15 a. m. today.
The note had been sent to the state
department.
Experts there were preparing 1t as
rapidly as possible for transmission
to Ambassador Gerard In Berlin
There were reports that a portion
which had already been put into the
code, had already started.
It was believed the communication
would reach the Berlin foreign office
by tonight, Europe time.
The latest Information was that II
would not be made public until known
to have been delivered Its general
purport had already been unofficially
outlined, and officials tactfly admitted
that these forecasts were substantiai-
ly correct.
One point, however, was empha.