Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-03

Washington, Nov. 3.--One hundred
and fifty men, women. and children
were killed by German and Austrian
submarines while President Wilson,
during a period of fifteen months, os-
cillated from u policy of holding the
central powers to "strict accountable
ity' to a policy of warning Americans
to shunt merchantmen of belligerent
nationality, and then back again.
Despite the Presidents threat to
sever diplomatic relations with Ber-
lin last April, the menace to the safety
of Americans on the high seas con-
tinue, to the alarm of the administra-
ton and of the Democratic managers
who have devoted fourteen pages OF
their campaign textbook to description
of Mr.. Wilson's great diplomatic
triumph" over Germany.
Official advices to the state depart
ment, carefully suppressed from the
public, disclose that the torpedoing
of merchantmen has continued with
steadily increasing activity ever since
the President dispatched his ultima
tum to Berlin, and Germany agreed
to modify it's submarine warfare,
pending a demonstration of Mr. Will
sons ability to force Great Britain to
lift the blockade.
Americans Still Imperilcd
Only within the last week American
consuls have reported that two Ameri-
cans were on the Strathtay, torpedoed
by q German submarine. Although no
lives were lost, this incident, together
with the discussion of the question in
the reichstag, arouses the fear among
administration officials that Germany
is about to resume ruthless submarine
warfare.
Likewise, unknown to the public, a
serious situation is developing in the
relations of the United States and Aus
tria. Last June Mr.. Wilson called
upon Vienna to apologize for the
shelling of the American steamship
Petrolite, and the wounding of several
members of the crew by an Austrian
submarine, nearly year ago. Aus
tria refused to apologize, in notes
suppressed by the State department,
and the administration now is has-
Cling with Vienna over this question
of national honor.
Throughout the controversy the GEN.
trail powers have yielded in each in
stance just enough to prevent the
President at the time from breaking
diplomatic relations.
The Democratic managers contend
that the Presidents "ultimatum was
effective" They fail to explain, how
ever, why the solemn threat to sever
diplomatic relations would not have
been as potent as in April, 1916, had
it been made by the President in Feb
ruary, 1915, when Germany announc-
ed its intentions, or even in April,
1915, after the first American had
been killed, on the torpedoed Falaba,
but before ia American perished on
the Lusitania.
Mr.. Wilson ignored the deaths of
Americans on the Falaba and Gulf
light till after the Lusitania tragedy
and then acted only after proclaiming
his conviction that there is such a
thing as being too proud to fight"
Refusing to put the country in a state
attitude on the rights of Americans on
the high seas. he succeeded for fifteen
months only in convincing Germany
that he did not mean what he said.
The vagariouS course pursued by the
President in the interminable subma-
rine controversy with the central pow
ers is set forth graphically in the fol-
lowing chronology:
1915
February 4 - Germany proclaims
submarine warfare on merchantmen.
February 10 Wilson says he will
hold Germany to "strict accountable
ity," and do all necessary to safe
guard American lives and property"
February 16 - Germany refuses to
be deferred.
February 20 Wilson asks Ger
many and England to abandon illegal
warfare by agreement; Germany ac-
cepts, England rejects conditions.
March 28 - British steamer F'alaba
sunk by German submarine; 100 lives
lost, including one American.
April 6 - Germany expresses regret