The Washington herald., 1917-02-15
WHITE HOUSE Is SILENT.

WORRIED OVER PRISONERS.
The safety of American citizens
in the Teutonic countries, and in
Turkey last night caused the admins
trstion serious concern No reply
was received to the inauiry directed
10 Germany through the Swiss Minis
ter, as to the fate OF the American
Earrowdale prisoners. II was ze-
cepted as certain last night that unless
the reply TO this inquiry is sstistse-
tory the STATE Department will make
a peremp:o.y demand for the release
of these citizens.
It was stated last night that there
are hundreds of Americans in Ger
many, Austria and Bulgaria, and
nearly 1000 American missionaries
in Asia Minor under Turkish juris-
diction. All these would be in a pre-
carious situation should the dreaded
overt act" find them in an enemy
country. The State Department yes
terday continued its pressure through
all channels to assure the safety Of
these Americans.
Hear from Minister EIEus.
For the first time since the break in
relations between this country and Ger
many, the State Department yesterday
heard from Minister Elkus. at Constan-
tinople. The subject OF the communica-
ton was not made public, but the de-
psrtment said il was ''reassuring" The
department at once drafted instructions
to Minister Elkus TO get all Americans
out OF Turkey as rapidly as possible. The
Collier Caesar and the Cruiser Des
Moines are in Turkish waters waiting to
take Of these refugees, who have been
concentrated at detention camps at Bel
rut. DiploPatic difficulties over the re-
lease Of the Americans, however. result
ed in the holding Of the ships at Alex
andris. They will be ordered forward
as soon as Minister Elkus arranges for
the release Of the Americans.
The concern over the fate OF Amer
leans abroad il was stated last night
has had much to do with the delay in
placing guns and gunners on American
ships II was stated that the Navy De-
partment has made complete arrange
ments for mounting guns on the Amer
tcan vessels, even to assigning individual
guns TO 1T the construction Of the various
shlpS. mounting the armament will be
matter OF little delay when the orders
for srrning the vessels are given. The
legality Of srming ships has likewise
been accepted by practically all Of the
residents advisers. II has been de-
termined, however, that IL an American
vessel. armed for defense, should fire
Upon submarine. Germany would un-
douotedly accept the incident as an "act
OF war"
Arming to he Held Up.
1t is probable therefore, that until
the safety Of Americans aboard has
been fully assured. American ships
viii not traverse the war zone, armed
under government authority. But Il is
likewise felt certain in Washington,
that the Administration has definitely
decided to place arms aboard American
ships just as speedily as the situation
of Americans abroad will justify such
action.
The ships OF the American line. of
the type of the ST Louis, will probably
be the first vessels to be armed. They
were built for conversion into armed
cruisers in wartime and guns for
arming them are in reserve The
Navy Department believes they could
be mounted in five days
The State Department yesterday con-
tinued compiling complete reports of
every submarine incident in any way IN
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