Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-03-16

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington.-Within the next few
days the question of actual hostilities
or peace between the United. States
and Germany will be settled. With
American armed merchantmen soon to
he prepared for the dash through the
German submarine zone, the Presi-
dent and his advisers have settled
Gown for a period of ''watchful wait
iTg." Long days and nights of wait
ing for news from the war zone will
now occupy Washington and the coun-
try. The Administration is convinced
that the differences between the Uni
ted States and Germany will reach a
climax when the first armed American
merchant ship meets a German sub
marine.
While all ship movements were
shrouded behind impenetrable secrecy,
it has been stated the departures of
American commercial ships carrying
naval guns and gunners would be a
matter of but a few days. and within
10 days armed American ships would
be in the war zone.
Clash to Bring Results.
With the gunners aboard American
ships under orders to fire at once on
any submarine which approaches in a
threatening manner, the first encoun-
ter between an American ship and a
German undersea boat will bring def
mite decisive results. The Administra-
ton still hoped against hope that the
German submarine commanders in the
war zone will follow international law
and respect American rights.
IL the usual rules of sea warfare are
delivered, and American ships are
boarded and searched for contraband.
the ships will not resist. Only this
course, it was stated, can prevent open
hostilities between the two nations.
Meantime the Navy Department
went steadily forward with the work
of arming merchantmen to defy the
war zone. Every American merchant
ship which requests protection will be
given adequate armament and quail
fed naval gunners. Every government
agency will be invoked to insure prop
er safeguards in the way of concealing
vessel movements and keeping secret
departures, arrivals and probable
courses of American ships.
Waiting for definite action in the
war zone to precipitate the climax in
the German dispute, the Administra-
tion concentrated all its energies in
preparations for any eventuality. The
war-making machinery of the govern.
ment is under orders to get into fight
ing trim, and the mobilization of the
industrial and commercial forces OF
the nation to meet whatever the news
from the war zone may bring forth
will go steadily on.
Through the Council of National De-
Tense and its Advisory Committee the
work of organizing the nations labor
and business will be continued, and all
of the vast energies OF the country
will be made available for any use the
President may need to make the most
of them.
President Wilson and his advisers
began planning the program Of "war
legislation" which will be placed be
fore the extraordinary session of Con
gress called for April 16. All of the
matters which the President will cal
TO the attention of the Congress will
have to do with the international sit
uation.
President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing have begun an intensive
study of the latest Austrian commu
nication on the submarine question. Il
As expected that the negotiations witt
Austria will be continued temporarily
at least. 1t has been stated, however
that the Austrian situation would un
coubtedly be brought to a climax /
an actual clash between the Unitet
States and Germany is precipitate'
by happenings in the war zone.