Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-15
URGES PROTEST
BY U. S. AGAINST
U-BOAT WARFARE
Resolution in Senate De-
clares Berlin Decree
Menace to Country
MAY DELAY ACTION
NOTION. Feb. 10.

WASH NGTON, Feb 1S.
A resolution protesting against recog
milton by the United States Of Germany:
order threatening to torpedo armed yes
sells was introduced In the Senate today by
Senator Sterling tRep, s d..
Steriing's resolution declared "the Sen.
ate views with concern the late order oi
the German Admiralty that armed ships
of any of the Allies. whether armed for
offensive or defensive purposes, may be
torpedoed without warning after Fchru-
AIRY q" This order constitutes a more
serious menace to commerce. particularly
that of the United States. than any act
OF the war" the resolution asserted. II
also declared any recognition on the part
of the United states of the new German
order would be step backward and
abandonment of our contention Of the
freedom of the seas and contravene the
policy of the United States"
There were strong intimatons in official
circles today that Germany and Austria
will consent to postpone until April the
Inauguration of their policy of sinking
armed merchant ships without warning
II requested to do so by the United States
Secretary of State Lansing said he had
not received any definite assurances along
this line, but exhibited no surprise when
informed that the intimation had come
from high Teutonic authority.
postponement may be necessary, be-
cause the German memorandum sent by
cable contains only a bare reference to
the appendices, which are en- route by
mail and which contain the so-called
British secret orders to merchant vessel
commanders to attack submarines on
sight.
Secretary Lansing said the Berlin dis
patches already published contain sub
stantialy the full text of the German
memorandum. A similar memorandum
from Austria reached the State Depart
ment yesterday.
President Wilson definitely abandoned
his planned additional Swings around
the circle" in behalf of his preparedness
policy, II was learned today, because of
the increasing serious complications fac
ing this country in its international re-
lations. He is impressed with the belief
that the coming six months must bear far
more directly on the future OF the United
States than in any period in the past.
This decision is due to the report from
Colonel House. This report, absolutely
confidential, is more or less a tale of
woe. The Teutonc allies believe that
this Government has not been frank with
their cause. The Colonel was frankly
told that IL the whole truth of the Teu-
tonic allies cause was known in the
United States the entire sympathy of the
western world" would be with them.
Cutting of the German cable and ZEN
tirely indefensible censorship of their
wireless the last terms are German Off
cial-have made this impossible, Colonel
House was told by the Kaiser's closest
advisers.
ALLIES BITTER TOWARD AMERICA.
Great Britain and France are bitter be-
cause America is enriching herself from
the war" while Italy and Russia, al
though comparatively Indifferent back up
the sentiment Of their Allies Colonel
House, 1t is understood was told by
French officials that If the United States
had supported France as France has sup
ported this country in the past the war
would be over now. The French position, |
he has been told, and part of this report |
already is in the Presidents hands, is !
that no suggestions of peace can even be |
entertained until French soil is cleared /
of Frances enemies. England was even
more unresponsive. The United States |
was accused by the highest British OF. |
fcials as playing the German game"
through making protests for political"
effect The British feeling against the |
United States was more than doubled by
the suggestion from this country that all
of the belligerents agree to disarm
and Colonel House has been
warned, 1t is known here, that the sug-
gestlon of such policy can be considered
"only as unfriendly" by the Entente
Powers.
The records of the State Department
show the following pressing questions of
foreign policy awaiting dispositions:
With the Teutonic belligerents-Lusi-
lania and Ancona settlements: eXplana-
tion of attack on Petrolite; acceptance or
rejection of theory that armed merchant
men are naval auXiliaries and can be sunk
without warning by submarines; whether