Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-04-21
GERMAN BREAK
BELIEVED NEAR
President to Go Before Congress
Today.
DRASTIC ACTION IS PLANNED
Wilson to Present Facts to Lawmak-
ers at Joint Session Before Send
ING Note to kaiser-Rern-
storf Turned Down.

Stor1 urneQ down.
washington. April 19.4President
Wilson will discuss the submarine
crisis today with Senators Stone and
Lodge and Representatives Flood and
Cooper, the ranking majority and mi
nority members of the congressional
foreign affairs committee, before be
goes before congress and lays the en-
tire German submarine issue before
both houses. A break in diplomatic
relations is said to be imminent.
Both houses passed promptly a reso.
luton providing for a joint session in
the. house chamber this afternoon
There was no announcement as to the
purpose of the presidents coming.
confers With Leaders.
This action was taken after Secre
tary Tumulty went to the capital after
cabinet meeting and took up the
question with Majority Leader Kitch
in of the house. Majority Leader Kern
of the senate and Senator Stone. chair
man of the foreign relations commit
tee They Immediately went into con
ference with Speaker Clark of the
house.
New Note for Kaiser.
No official of the administration
would say definitely what course had
been decided upon. Some kind of com
munication will go forward to Berlin
probably today. but apparently no one
but the president and the members OF
his cabinet knows what it will be.
The presiden, has completed the
communication he will deliver to con-
gress. Up to the present it had been
thought he would send this communi-
cation to Berlin 1t was decided, how
ever, that the situation has become so
serious as to require more drastic
steps.
Congress to Get Issue.
1t has been stated and reiterated
that before taking any step tending
to lead to a rupture in diplomatic re-
lations or war the president would
lay the situation before congress.
On this account, when unofficial
word of the nature of the message to
be delivered today began to circu
late, it was taken for granted on both
sides of the capitol that drastic &C
tion was impending.
The presidents decision was
reached after long consideration o.
mass of evidence that Germany had
been violating solemn pledges regard
ing the conduct of submarine war
fare.
A long list of disasters to peaceful
vessels, many of them under neutra
flags and many carrying American
citizens. was gone over carefully by
the president and his advisers an(
was understood to have been in
Guided in the communication drafted
f. dispatch to Germany
5ernstorff Gets Rebuff.
Count Won Bernstorff. the German
ambassador, called on Secretary Ian
sing and was told by the secretar,
that he could not discuss the subma
rine issue with him at this time.
Count Won Bernstorff, however, pre-
sented a memorandum TO Secretar,
Lansing stating that Germany under
no circumstances would give up sub
marine warfare which, he reiterated
was in retaliation for the British foot
blockade of Germany, but that hi
government was attempting to con
duct it in accord with internationa
law and the assurances given to tn
United States.
For any unauthorized violations O
those assurances, he reiterated. Ger
many was ready to make amends.
VIII Not Affect Plans.
Mr.. Lansing said later that tn
ambassadors visit would have no e
feet upon the course already dete
mined upon by the American govern
ment.
There were some indications tina
Ambassador Gerard has been il
formed by the Berlin foreign ofic
of its desires to meet the wishes {
the United States if ii is shown tina
the channel steamer Sussex was d,
stroyed by a submarine in violatio
of the German governments instru,
tons and that Count Won Bernstor
was authorized to make such a stat,
ment in general terms to Secretar
Lansing.