The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-11-24
International Issues Become Acute and
New Policies Are Necessary.
SUBMARINE ISSUE IS FOREMOST
All But Most Important Of Domestic
Affairs to Take Background
Trade Blockade Looms.

Washington, D. ca portentous
and complicated international situation
now faces President Wilson and for
the next few weeks will engage his at
tention and that Of has advisers to the
exclusion Of all but the most urgent Of
domestic subjects.
From now on the President expects
to deal with all foreign questions with
out embarrassment. While it is not
evident there will not be any funda-
mental change in policy, fear that any
move at all would be misinterpreted as
inspired by an internal political strug-
gle has been removed.
The President must decide how the
United States shall meet the German
submarine question on the one hand
and the entente allies trade restric-
tions on the other; whether the retail
atory legislation shall be enforced;
whether the traditional theory of isola-
tion shall be abandoned for concerted
neutral action; whether the country
shall have an aggressive or passive
policy toward the peace conference af-
ter the war; the permanent league to
enforce peace and, during the rest Of
the war. the question whether Amer
ica's attitude be governed by benevo-
lent Interpretation of international law
according to its own best interests, or
shall it be strictly legslistic, regard
less Of whom it affects.
The most disquieting problem is the
German submarine situation. Five
critical cases are pending, one involv-
ing a loss of six American lives.
Increasingly serious is the fast
growing conviction that any kind of
general submarine warfare is intoler-
able. Germany is known to be build
ing submarines rapidly and there is the
possibility of a starvation campaign
against England. The U. S. may find
it difficult to avoid complications.
The American attitude is fiat and
final. No technicalities will be admit
ted. Ships must not be sunk without
warning or without provision for the
safety of the passengers. The armed
ship issue will not be accepted. Sec
retary Lansing foresaw it last March,
when, without announcing his reason,
he decreed that merchant vessels could
carry a small defensive gun.
The future of the submarine situation
is felt to rest entirely with Germany.
Two possibilities are feared: Either
that Germany will decide she can
starve England by an underses cam
paign or that she may endeavor to in
volve this country, and thus insure the
participation in peace conferences Of a
generous enemy. Beyond this, the
Lusitania case remains unsettled.
Germany has admitted liability and
offered indemnity. But the delicate
matter Of its amount has not been set
tied. Attempts made to close the is
sue have been repeatedly blocked by
unexpected new U-boat complications.
The ravages of the U-53 off New
England were displeasing to the gov
ernment. 1t was said that continu-
ance of the practice would not be per-
mitted, as it would constitute practi-
cal blockade of American harbors.
Relations with the entente allies are
less clear-cut. Sea power has enabled
them, through the blockade and the i'm
position of the blacklist, virtually to
destroy all foreign trade hostile to
them and divert all commerce to their
own uses. Constant belligerent en-
croachments on neutral rights have led
President Wilson to say that neutrality
is "intolerable.
Mexico is in serious plight. Of
ficials are beginning to despair of Car
rama, yet no alternative is seen. The
Nicaraguan treaty is being bitterly
protested by the other Central Ameri-
can nations. and offers a possible
source of trouble. Conditions there
and in San Domingo and Hayti are un-
settled. Also the treaty for the pur-
chase of the Danish West Indies for
$25, 900, 900 is still unratified.