The sun., 1916-11-20
WILSON GRAPPLES
WITH WAR TANGLE
He Is Preparing to Round Out
a Policy to Safeguard
Neutral Rights.
NO BACKDOWN ON U-BOATS
Entente Allies Trade Restric-
tons Cause Study Of Retail
atOry Measures.

wAsHrNoroN. Nov. 1s.-A portentous
and complicated international situation
now faces President Wilson and for the
next few weeks will engage his attention
and that OF his advisers to the practical
exclusion of all but the most urgent Of
domestic subjects.
re,ary Lansing frequently spoke OF the
necessity Of postponing action on the
more delicate international questions be-
cause the uncertainty Of the outcome
Of the political contest had n dire 1t
bearing on the success or failure Of
some OF the Administration policies.
From now on the President expects u
deal with all foreign questions without
embarrassment and he Is receiving from
his advisers summary OF the outstand-
ing issues no essential to taking stock 81
the basic situation which must be met
now that international relations have
returned to their place Of prime i'm
portance.
Evidence Of the Urgency.
While II In not evident that there will
be any fundamental change in policy,
freedom from fear that any move at all
would be misinterpreted as inspired by
an internal political struggle has been
removed. President Wilson and Secre-
tary Lansing feel themselves able to act
with a single eye to the information Al
situation and their immediate confer
snces on the Presidents return to Wash
ington indicate how pressing they feel
the situation to be.
The President must decide how the
United States shall meet the German
submarine situation on the one hand and
the Entente Allies trade restrictions on
the other. whether the retaliatory legis-
htion shall be enforced. whether the
traditional theory OF isolation shall be
abandoned for concerted neutral action
and whether the country shall have an
aggressive or passive policy toward the
peace conference. the war after the war
and the permanent league to enforce
peace which the President has accepted
IN theory
Another matter for decision is whether
during the rest OF the war America s
attitude should be governed by de-
c'ded benevolence in the Interpretation
OF International law according to its own
best interests or be strictly legalistic re-
eardless of whom II affects.
U.Boat Problem.
Most dlsquieting OF the problems is the
critical cases are pending. one involving
loss Of six American lives. two others
involving American ships. lncreas ngly
serious IL the fast growing conviction
that any kind of general submarine war.
fare. even IL complying VITA the made.
quate rules as TO giving warning and af.
fording some measure OF safety of pas.
senCe's. Is intolerable.
Germany is known to be rapidly build.
~ nj tvnS L
bility OF a starvation campaign agains,
England Its effects would concern al
nations The United States might fins
Il difficult TO avoid complications
The American attitude is fat and final
No technicalites will be admitted. Shin,
must not be sunk without warning oi
without provision for the safety OF pas
sengers. The armed merchantmen issu.
undoubtedly will be advanced by Ger
many, but will not be accepted.
Secretary Lansing foresaw II las
March when without announcing hi
reason he declared that mer hant YES
se's could carry a small defensive gun
" hat endangers submarines il merel,
emphasizes part Of their weakness. TIL,
United states, anxious as pacific ma
ton opposed to armament. to increas,
the power OF submarines. recogn re
their shortcomings. especially in thei
FLlneEablllty III surprised and attacked
Next Step for Berlin.
Tho future OF the submarine situ,tio,
Is f"lt to rest entirely with Germany
With the American attitude known tn
next step must come from Berlin. Tw'
possibilities are feared: Either tina
Germany will decide she can starv
England by an undersea campaign o.
that she may endeavor to involve thi
country. and thus insure the participa
tion in peace conferences Of generous
enemy inclined toward Just peace terms
BEYOND this the Lusitania case re
mains unsettled, Germany has admitte'
liability and offered indemnity. But tn
delicate matter OF It's amount has no
been settled. Attempts made to clos
the issue have been repeatedly blocke,
BY unexpected new U-boat complica
tons
The ravages Of the U-53 of New Eng
land were dIspleasng to the Govern
men', hut the incident was viewed a
Isolated. II was said that contnu
ance Of the practice would not be per
m'ited, as II would constitute n prac
teal blockade Of American harbors
Relations with Entente.
Relations with the Entente Allies ar
less clear cut. less dangerous, but per
hans more nagging Sea power has en-
ah'cd them through the blockade to con
troll the rationing OF Holland and al
scandinavia, to prohibit imports int
this country except under guarantee,
seize and censor the mails. to impos
ne blacklist. to destroy virtually a
Foreign trade hostil to them and dive,
all American commerce to their own U.s.
Constant belligerent encroachment
on neutral rights have led Pres.der
Wilson TO say that neutrality is into
erable," War has become SO worlt
vide. 80 unlimited as TO national bour
daries, that 1t IL no '>nger the hosti
army but tho hostils state-mel
women and children-with its outpost
all over the world. that Is involved.
First and oldest of the Entente Allie
restrictions Is the blockade. which or
Government has declared illegal becau'
II II both ineffective and discrimination
IN favor of Norway and Sweden In thi
II does not blockade the Baltic, and b.