Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-29
NEUTRAL NATIONS
GIVEN WARNING
Berlin Government Holds Nations
Have Had Ample Time to Caution
Subjects Of Dangers on High Seas
Washington See. No Danger Of I'M
mediate Break With Germany; Presi.
dent to Insist on Strict Interpretation

manyS leading statesmen that the new
rule o1 submarine warfare which was
announced In the German memoran-
dunn regarding the future treatment Of
armed merchantmen will positively be
put into effect at midnigh. tonight.
At that time the period for warning
Of neutrals, giving them opportunity
to advise their nationals not to travel
on armed merchantmen, will expire.
For several DAYS there has been pos
sibility that Germany at the last mo-
ment would make a proposal that she
would discontinue the practice Of re-
prisal and sink no merchant ships
freighters or passenger liners--without
first halting the vesse! for examina-
ton and putting the crew in place
of safety, If the allies would remove
armament from merchantmen. It was
thought England might accept this
proposal. or that the United States and
other neutfals would be convinced, il
England refused. that she had no in
tention Of discontinuing the use Of
armament for offensive purposes
This might possibly have been Presi-
dent Wilson's proof that armament on
m4rchantmen was used only for de-
terses and thus reconcile the conflict
lng viewpoints regarding the impro-
4 Nflaty of merchantmen carrying arma-
\ - "a 4 An4 the inpossibility Of the
4 kaaes altering the established
~ q AAti0ns.
Germany Not hopeful.
~ Publication Of President Wilson'S
r 1AtA tAnr 10 tnx
parently convinced Germany's leading
statesmen that no assistance was to be
expected from Washington in a settle
ment OF the situation regarding rules
Of submarine warfare and that 1t was
useless to make proposals. the only re-
suit OF which would be to give Eng
land more time to replenish her stores
while q discussion was in progress at
Washington and London.
Newspaper and the German public
generally are primed for a spectacular
opening OF the new submarine cam
paign. The newspaper reader might
expect to find the columns of his news
papers on Thursday too small to obtain
the full account OF merch antmen sunk
by Germany's big fleet Of submarines
on the first day Of the campaign. It
may be doubted, however, whether the
campaign will set in with such vigor.
and 1t would be no surprise if some
time passes without incident of such
q character as to force the United
States to act on President. Wilson's
declarations.
Expect Wilson to Stand Pat.
Such at least appears to be the hope
OF the German statesmen. They have
little expectation that President Wilson
will change his attitude even after re-
ceipt Of evidence attached to the Ger
man memorandum, which apparently
was not contained in the> American
embassy's cabiegram giving the text of
the message itself.
German statesmen apparently hope
that by the exercises of certain
amount OF circumspection matters may
drift along for time without con-
fict. that Americans Of their own ac-
count will avoid armed merchantmen.
and that In such incidents as do occur
II may be possible for Germany to
prove that the ships in question vio-
= lated the rules Of warfare. Further
Z than this their hopes do not extend.