The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-10-10
MUCH DEPENDS
IN DECISION OF
PRES. SON
no PREVENT SERIOUS
DIPLOMATIC ISSUES
Will Get All the Facts Before
Deciding Silent on
New Memorandum.

WASHINGTON, Oct. $50 much
depends upon President Wilson's de-
cisiOn regarding the German SuDml
rine operations in tie Western Allan
! tic and there are SO many possible
ties that unforeseen complications may
| develop rs the U-boat campaign pro-
ccrds. that officials here decline 10
atlrmpt any authoritative statement
OF what the attitude Of The American
government will be. Although stale
department officials are convinced
that there has been no violation oil
international law thus far in the at
lacks off Nantucket they realize that
Il prolunyaiiOn of such operations IN
waters adjacent 10 the United States
would be fraughL with many p0ten-
tialiIies out of which serious dlplo-
matte issues might arise.
1t is understood here that il is for
discussion o. this feature that Sec
rotary Lansing is going to the sum-
mer white house al Long Branch to-
morrow. The secretary declined to-
night TO make any statement what
ever regarding his trip or 10 discuss
in any way the German submarine
campaign.
Officials would not even make an
open admission that the state depart
ment had reached definite decision
regarding the legality Of the U-boat
activities so far reported. IL became
known, after conference between
Secretary Lansing and Secretary Dan
ielS thai all OF the evidence thus far
collected by the navy department was
regarded as showing that none of
Germany's pledges to the United
hnr nlNliuofinnc 1I1,lnr I'M %
national law had been violated.
No Information Given.
Officials indicated that much in
which had moi been made public
Whatever has been learned regarding
the number and identity Of the bel
ligerent vessels off the coast could not
be divulScd, it was pointed out, be,
cause it might aid enemy vessels
Tonight Il warning was SCnl out 10
navy, commercial and amateur wire
less stations along the coast forbid,
ding despatch Of any radio messages
regarding movement of any beliger.
cnt war vessels.
1t WAS emphasized that no pains
would be spared to secure all the facts
possible regarding the attacks made
yesterday and any others that may be
reported. Each individual case. it
WAS said, would be considered on It's
merits and finally decided separately
After the conference today between
Secretaries Lansing and Daniels. il
was announced that Rear Admiral
Knight, commandment of The naval sta,
, zion at Newport. had ben requested
to expedite Il complete report of the
whole submarine foray. Affidavits
will be sought from the American
naval officers in command of the tor,
pedo boat destroyer relief flotlla.
Whether The situation would be
complicated b. the nex allied mem,
oranGum on submarines. outlined in
loni&hl'S cable dispatches as urging
that any underwater craft entering Il
neutral port should be detained there
WAS another subject on which Off
Gals were silent. This communica,
tion has net yet reached the state de,
partment. Officials have considered
carefully the subject il discusses, and
are expected 10 take issue with any
suggestion that American neutrality
was violated by the course of this
government in It's treatment Of the
German merchantmen Deutschland or
the German U-53, which called at
Newport Saturday.
U. S. Cautions.
The danger to which neutral subma-
rinHS through being mistaken by bel
/ liEcrrnt vessels. hlntcd at in the memo
! r;Indum. was suggested to tn" Amcri-
can government some time ago and in
consequence every care has been taken
to keep Amrican submarines out of
waters whore miStakS might arise. Tho
''rttiSh Embassy unoiTcially warned the
government that German war Suhma-
. rincS might find their way over here
without dif(ficulty.
There was much discussion among Of
ficialS today regarding the suggestion
that the proximity Of the German craft
might develop Il situation similar to
| hat which led To Il request by the state
department that British cruisers hover
ing too lose 10 shore earlier in the war
be Withdrawn. British vessels. were
only six miles OFF shore and plainly
visible from the mainland. while the
German operations hay" been beyond
Nantucket liEhtShin which is 80 mites
| from the ncHrcS' land and 20 miles
from the mainland. Many officials
think. therefore, that there will be NJ
complaint on that score.