Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-12
sr MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LsA.sD ~,-s.

isN MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wI~s!
Copenhagen (via London) Feb, II.
Little hope or expectation prevails
in Berlin that war with the United
states is avodable, or that a modus
Nlvendt reconclling the policies of the
two governments can be found.
There now is a desire on the part
of the authorities and q vast bulk
of the people to avoid actual hostili-
ties in any way consistent with the
general lines of the present subma-
rine policy, but only in such a way.
Accordingly, Instructions were given,
SO the Associated Press has been re-
liably informed, to submarine COM
manders before they started on their
February mission, to take the safe
side when neutral vessels, particularly
American, were in question, whenever
possible. Enemy merchantmen, when
recognized as such, We're ordered to
be sunk at sight, but neutral mer-
chantmen were to be warned when
such action, in their judgment was
consistent with the object OF the cam
paign and the safety OF their own
ships. ....
Ultimate Break Sure.
1t was realized, however, after the
prompt and resolute stand taken by
President Wilson, that these orders
could be only palliative and only de-
fer. not avoid an ultimate break.
Also, that If President Wilson stood
by his announcement that the de-
gtruction of American lives or ships
would be regarded as an act of hos
tility, q casus belli must come sooner
or later--probably sooner on account
of the number of Americans on en-
envy ships. Moreover, there was the
discretionary nature of the instruc-
tions to submarine commanders who
We're informed that while the care
full course toward neutrals was recon-
mended and desired, they would no
longer be subjected to punishment for
departing from their former procedure
of warning, if they found this ad-
visable
Will Not Yield.
1t is considered that the only pos
sibility of the avoidance OF hostili-
ties would result from a modtfica-
tion of its standpoint by one or the
ether side. and so far as could be
judged from the positive declarations
Of Alfred Zimmerman, the German
minister of foreign affairs, and other
cfficials before the Associated Press
departure from Ber-
I'm. there was no probability that
Germany would give way this tirnr
German American relations again
Nd again have passed through crises
apparently almost hopeless, hut this
time the crisis is more difficult than
the former ones, and even the opti-
mist scarcely can see any peaceful
oeress out of the impasse,
From neutral cable office, it now
is possible to tell the story of the
development of the crisis, on which
the most rigid censorship has been
applied in Germany.
Policy Long Determined.
To the observer in Berlin. the ap-
proach of the crisis had been plainly
and definitely evident since the re-
lection of Germany's peace overtures.
Information as to Germany's definite
decision to start sharpened subma-
rine war, and even the form 1t would
take, namely. a blockade of specified
regions, (though the idea of pro
hibited zone" was later substituted for
that of blockade" at the request
Of the naval authorities, who anticf-
pated possible formal objections un-
der the blockade regulations) was re-
ceivcd by the Associated Press almost
On the morrow of Ambassador Ge-
rard's speech on German American
GOOD relations. delivered at the ban
quet of the American Association of
Commerce and Trade early in Janu-
ary
A week later il was stated that a
full decision on the situation had not
been reached and the campaign would
not be launched until after further
consultations with Gernany's allies
and receipt of certain information
from Count Won Rernstorff and Count
Tarnowski Won Tarnow, respectively
German and austro- Hungarian am
bassadors to the United States. OF
their concept of armed merchantmen