Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-09
Submarine Attacks Held to
Not Yet Justify Declara-
ton Of War.
AMERICAN RIGHTS
ALREADY VIOLATED
infraetions Considered by State De-
partment as Only Technical and
More cisar-cut Outrage 10 Awaited
Officials Admit Success. Of subma-
rine Campaign and Expect Some Ae-
tion by Great Britain.

Washington, Feb. o. Preliminary
reports before the state department
today on the sinking of merchant yes
sells by Germany without warning con-
tanned evidence Of technical violation
of American rights, yet the govern
ment Is holding it's peace until some
outrage presenting a more clear-cut
issue should compel IT to act. Infor-
nation on all ships torpedoed is be-
ing collected.
President Wilson, pursuing his policy
Of having the government refrain
from from action which might be taken as
prompted for an Interior motive, au-
thoriz6d that bank deposits, merchant
sliips and other private property Of
foreigners will not be seized. This
confirmed a provision Of the treaty Of
1928 without actually reratifying the
convention
Look For British Action.
Officials were impressed anew with
the apparent success Of the German
submarine campaign, but they looked
for early action by the British ad-
,miralty to convoy merchant shipping
or take some other step to lessen the
destruction Of her vessels.
Entente diplomats here have asked
the state department r. some step can
not be taken 10 cease publication Of
sadlings o6 vessels and publication Of
manifests Of ships going into the war
zone. Officials realise there II no
warrant OF law to prevent publication
Of saNings, but some steps may be
taken to ask American publishers to
refrain from printing them on the
ground Of national policy.
Wilson frequently at Capitol.
President Wilson plans to visit the
capitol and the executive departments
frequently from now on when he de-
sires to take any steps IN connection
with legislation. 80 n IS K u. e. n,
t was said today that no surprise or
alai1n need be felt IL the president goes
TO the capitol at any hour OF the day
or visits any members OF his cabinet.
So many questions have to be taken
up that the president finds It too slow
to cali all the men to the White House
he desires to see.
Aims Nearly Achieved.
tits disclosed that the maximum de-
struction OF belligerent shipping aimed
at by the kaisers undersea fleet since
the expiration Of the four days Of grace
allowed boats on the ocean practically
has been achieved
Berlin naval authorities estimated
that 1t would be necessary to destroy
English merchant ships at the rate Of
about 100000 tons gross a month In
order to force Britain to her knees by
the starvation route
Feb. 8, s and 2 between $4,000 and
80, 900 tons were sunk. The. daily aver
age is running around 10000 tons.
OF the 4s000,000 world tonnage in
merchant ships. Great Britain Dos
sesses about 20,000,o00. An uninter-
rupted smashing Of 100000 tons a
month, authorities here estimate,
would soon sweep the oceans almost
clean Of merchant ships. as the main
tenance OF the daily record for few
months or even less time, they calcu-
late, would have the effect OF keeping
all shipping moored in the harbors,
Solution Up to Britain.
There Is much speculation In 1lirh
circles here as to what Great Britain is
going to do to meet this new danger
and as to Just what reserve force the
empire has to take the place Of the
daily toll Of the undersea war fleet Of
the central powers.
Proponents Of the allied powers are
relying on England to meet the pres-
ent crisis In few days by cutting
thru the blockade and keeping the sea
lanes open to English ports for rmer-
chant shipping. particularly the boats
carrying foodstuffs.
That England has solved the muni-.
tions problem and can take care Of
that end at home is pretty generally
admitted by the experts. The great
terror is starvation. as they view It
now. :
Food Panic Soon? i
The one question here Is: How long
can England Withstand the blockade
without facing the terror Of food
panic?
e England, It Is semi Officially stated,
NtAS USSu turning Out q great nUmDeT
Of new ships since the war began to
take the place Of those torpedoed or
s:.: shed by mines 5ustt what this this new
tonnage is Is conjecture. as the British
admiralty has guarded the secret with
great care.
One estimate places this new ton.
mage at approximately 100000 tons =
year. These figures are based on the
record made in 1918, the last year Of
peace before the beginning of the war.
In that year England put into eonrnis.
sion 1,9s2.00O tons Of new merchant
ships, anu ct the same time put Into
commission forty nine new warshipss
with gross displacement Of 271,S7s
tons.
Russia Approves ,Wilson's Course.
Petrograd. Feb. st foreign nffice
has given the following statement to
the Associated Press. Il
4 The decision Of the government OF
the United States to sever relations
with nation which has persisted In