Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-25
CONTROVERSY
WITH GERMANY
Congress Leaders Block
Move to Warn Ameri-
can Travellers
HOLD A CONFERENCE
President Wilson Stands Firm His
Attitude and Says Nations Honor
Must Be Upheld

Washington, Feb. 25.-No actor
will be taken by the House today te
embarrass the President in the hand
ling of the crisis WITH Germany.
Speaker Clark, Democratic House
Leader Kitchin, and Chairman Flood
of the House Foreign Affairs Com.
mittee, today failed to move Presi'
dent Wilson from his policy toward
Germany.
Reiterating all that he had said ir
his letter to Senator Stone, publish,
ed this morning, the President is
understood to have insisted that
Congress should permit him to pro-
ceed with his demands on Germany
for full recognition of the rights
of American citizens to travel on arm.
ed liners without danger to their
lives.
London. Feb. 25.-Germany in her
reply to the latest representations
from America, asks the United States
to define offensive armaments, ac-
cording to an unconhrmed Amster-
dam dispatch received here today.
The reply, it is stated, is enroute
to Washington and should be deilv-
cred to the American State Depart
ment within fortyeight and possibly
twenty four hours.
Official circles here accept the re-
port as an indication that Germany
does not want break with America
and is preparing to yield.
Washington, Feb. 25-The measure
of panic and demoralization which
seized Congress Thursday when re-
ports were current that President
Wilson was determined to force IS
sues Immediately with Germany. even
10 the extent of war itself if need be,
has so far subsidized that barely a rip
ple of excitement is evident at the
Capitol.
A few emergency diplomats in the
House and Senate, feeling that they
knew enough of foreign affairs To
take the present negotiations into
their own hands, stood ready yes
terdav with resolutions warning Am
orleans off of armed vessels OF belll-
perent nations. These measures would
have been presented and brought to a
vote if if had not been for the cool
ness of Administration leaders and
the calmer second thought of the ner'
vous clement itself.
The White House brought very little
pressure to bear upon Congress In
this situation. The President counsel
el his friends against any action al
this time which would tie his hands
in his efforts to come to an understand
ing with Germany, but further thal
this the Executive did not go. He re
fused to be stampeded by the alarms
which were sent out hour by hour al
dav Wednesday and part of Thursda!
night.
The White House late last nigh
gave out the following letter, which
the President yesterday sent to Sena
tor William J. Stone, his spokesman
in the Senate:
The White House.
Washington, Feb. "a. 1916
Ny Dear Senator:
very warmly appreciate you
kind and frank letter of today, ant
feel that it calls for an equally fran'
reply.
You are right in assuming that
shall do everything in my power I
keep the United States out Of war
think the country will feel no un
easiness about my course in that res
pect. Though many anxious month
have striven for that object, amid
st difficulties more manifold than ca
have been apparent upon the surface
and so far l have succeeded. | do nc
doubt that l shall continue to succee
The course which the central Euro
pean powers have announced their ir
tention of following in the future wit
regard to undersea warfare seems fo