The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-18
Situation is Grave and United States Officials
Admit That the Foreign Problem Looks
Dangerous to This Country.
INTERNATIONAL RULES TO Be BROKEN
Germany Insists She is Acting in Self Defense
and Has Given All Neutrals Plen-
ty Of Warning.

r1,nited Press Leased Wire service.1
WASHINGTON. Feb. !S.-Ger-
n,any's death zone" encirc!es Me
british Isles today. With 1t Is imml-
nent danger to American commerce
and lives.
The washington administration
yrew more troubled than before, IN
ssmuch as England's supplementary
reply to the United States shipping
nrotest politely warned that Eng
land must retaliate against Germany
and hinted that 1t would not stop at
few international rules In 80 doing.
The German governments reply to
the United States warning against
the death zone" was expected soon,
though enciphering and deciphering
coupled with cable delays. may keep
the government in the dark for an
other day.
officials did not attempt today to
disguise the gravity of the situation.
Privately they admitted that the
whole foreign problem was pregnant
Of danger to this nation.
The British supplementary reply
gave the administration little salts
faction. About the only gleam OF
hope ii the note was the fact that It
: makes practically no prOmisess Eng
land has relaxed her earlier seizure
plans.
The Japanese and Mexican situa-
ton added to the anxiety in official
circles today.
Consul Silliman has been dispatched
to Vera Cruz to deal directly with
Carranza, but this was said today not
Z to involve recognition. Carranza
forces were unofficiallys reported to
have evacuated Mexico City in the
path Of attacking Zapatistas.
Although Berlin press dispatches
said Germany's reply to the American
warning concerning the war zone was
handed Wednesday to the American
embassy, an official message received
by the state department. today under
Wednesday date, stated that Ambas-
sador Gerard had presented the Amer
lean note to the Berlin foreign office,
but had not yet had an answer.
President Not Worried.
WASHINGTON. Feb. President
Wilson views the International situa-
ton despite all It's complications and
grave possibilities, with optimism, it
was officially stated today.
7 Secretary Of State Bryan hurried to
the white house for an early morning
conference with the president, but
left after a half hours visit, declining
to discuss the situation.
The German war zone, proclamation,
effective today, was giving the admin
tstration considerable concern but the
president regards 1t as highly i'm
probable that any American ships viii
De torpedoed by German submarines.
Added to the long list Of serious
developments was the significant state
ment in the last paragraph Of the
latest British note. Some oflcials
were inclined to regard this as equiv
alent to saying that il Germany is
not going to respect international law,
Great Britain will also disregard.
The president is giving the closest
consideration to the note and further
reply to twill be framed within a
lew days, 1t is understood.
Germany's Reply.
BERLIN (via Amsterdam} FEB. 18.
While the complete text of the
herman reply to the American note.
protesting against the contemplated
submarine blockade, is withheld pend
ing Its being made public In Washing
ton. summaries printed here make It
evident Germany stands firmly by
her original intention.
Great Britain having refused to lift
her food embargo, Germany takes the
position that she Is well within her
rights In ordering the sinking Of Brit
lsh merchantmen. 1t is also ex-
piained that in giving fourteen days
previous notice of the contemplated
blockade. Germany has done all that
could reasonably be expected of her.
The note IS declared to be couched
IN terms Of sincere friendship. 1t
points out. however, that the allies
nave been buying unlimited quanti-
ues OF supplies in America and that
not only conditional, but absolute
contraband are being freely imported
rom the United States to England
ana France. The government ex-
padlns that 1t is mcst anxious there
snai be no misunderstanding or dis
asreement with the United States
and Daya hirI @rsb,,&o AzxL~