New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-27
CAPITAL FEARS
A GRAVE CRISIS
Believes Break with Ger
many Will Come if Sus-
sex Was TOrpedoed.
LFrom III. Trihune Rureau !

From The Tribune Buresul
Washington, March 26.-The feeling
Z that another and exceedingly grave
crisis with Germany had arisen over
the submarine issue grew in tenseness
around Washington to-day, overshad-
owing even the Mexican situation.
though no official confirmation arrived
of the charges that the Sussex, the
Englishman or others of the recently
sunk vessels was torpedoed. The only
dispatch given out by the State De-
partment was from Ambassador Page,
at London, and contained an affidavit
from two Americans. who, however,
had seen nothing Of torpedo or sub
marine.
Four American citizens who we're on
the Englishman still are unaccounted
for.
The official statement from the
Frerch Ministry of Marine that there
was no room to doubt that the Sussex
was torpedoed, though il has not Off
cially reached this government, causes
the gravest fears. 1t is not doubted
that the ministry had convincing evi'
dence on which to base such state
ment, and it is admitted everywhere
that if the charges are borne out the
dispute with Germany will have beer
set back to where it was when the Lusl
tania was sunk, with the added COM
plication of broken German pledges.
Determination of the Administration
TO act promptly and decsively as soon
as the evidence becomes conclusive is
EXPRESSED on all sides, but this does
not mean that action can come within
several days. /: probably will take
some time for the American officials IN
England and France to collect ana
transmit all the evidence. and after i
is received Germany will be given
chance TO explain or present her side
of the case.
Every effort is being made to collecf
the evidence as rapidly as possible, end
it is not doubted that the full facts IN
the Sussex case will be known soon
and PROBABLY with more accuracy than
has been possible in most of the re-
cent disasters Meanwhile efforts are
being made 70 determine the full fact
in the kngiishman and the Tubantia
cases. and It is understood that Aus
tria will be asked to tell what she
knows Of the attack on the Patra.
Ambassador Won bernstortf was out
of Washington to-day, and, in his ab-
sence, no one at the embassy would
give any information as 10 what ad-
vices had been received from Berlin !
as 10 the German view of the recent
disasters.
Observers here who have been watch |
ing the progress of the dispute with
Germany and have been predicting for
weeks that it must soon come to def
mite and final crisis, see in the develop
rnents of the last few days evidence
that the time has come. They had
feared that il would develop in such
a way as to involve the armed mer-
chant ship question, and are glad that
tinfe lUt ftbBtHAAaS " VIC Na.R .RNNN "No
inevitable, that point has been left
out.
The fact that none Of the vessels
involved in the recent disasters was
armed. so far as has been learned
leaves the question at issue the same
simple one that il was when the tor (
pedo was fired at the Lusitania-
whether Germany has any right 20 kill .
Americans, contrary TO law. as re- ,
prisal against England. That a neut- /
raj vessel has also been attacked re-
moves even the argument of Mr.. Bryan !
and others who have urged that Amer /
leans be restricted 10 neutral ships.
Il is not seen here how the issue, !
II raised again, can be settled short I
Of complete backdoYn by Germany /
or n breaking Oft IF relations. There /
is no hope held out for the former solu- /
tion. The chances of another com /
promise are also believed gone. since /
more explicit promises could not be 4
given than those which have been vio- 1
Continued on page :, column