Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-24
EVENTS OF A WEEK.

The third week since the Interrupt
ton Of relations between the United
States and Germany has passed, and
actual war between the two countries
has not yet broken out This is due
German submarine campaign has
been prosecuted with vigor. there has
not yet been committed the overt act
which would make inevitable the re-
sort to forcible measures by the gov
ernment of the United States.
great deal Of shipping has been de-
stroyed, but no direct attack has been
made on American lives or American
ships The fact that these days have
elapsed without this final act tends to
ltrengthen the hope at no time very
{rong. that the act may not be COM
erted.
+ y X = 4
AMBASSADOR Gerard and mem bers
Ns party are at last safe out of
FAan territory, and the possibility
tr\pble over their detention has
Fefore been removed. The case of
~ = :american sailors taken into a
%, 'erman port on the captured steam
or Yarrowdale has dragged. These
men were taken off vessels which
were sunk by a German raider. Their
transfer to a German port was en-
tirely regular under the circum-
stances, but there has never been the
slightest excuse for their detention. 1t
was the duty OF the German govern
ment to provide for their safety
while it had charge of them and to
permit them to go as soon as they
could find the means. They had not
desired to go to Germany. They
were not spies. Their detention has
been as improper as was the deten-
ton of Ambassador Gerard. The
German government has declared its
purpose to release them, but as these
lines are written they have not yet
actually been liberated
X X * * X
Ambassador Bernstorff and his
party have been detained for some
time at Halifax to which port the
Frederick VIII on which they took
passage was conducted for inspection
by the British authorities. Extraor-
dtnary provisions were made for the
safety Of the ambassador and his
party while at Halifax, and also to
prevent them from taking advantage
OF their stay to gain information
which would be serviceable to the
German government later on. The
search Of the effects Of those on
board has revealed facts which DEM
onstrate the need for very thorough
examination by the allies Of all YES
sells which they permit to pass through
their blockade. Among the posses
slons of members Of the German par
ty were such quantities of cotton
clothing that it is clear either that
the returning officials had planned tc
supply themselves with cotton goods
Tor lifetime or that they had plan-
ned to add to the depleted stores OF
German cotton even the small quan-
titles that could be slipped across In
this way.
~ X *
The German submarine campaign
is proceeding in a methodical man
ner. The dispatches of each day
have contained accounts Of the sink
ing of shipping, some of it belonging
to the allies and good deal to nell
trails In the aggregate there has
neen heavy destruction of tonnage
but when the figures for the three
weeks Of February are compared with
the figures for corresponding weeks
IN other months the increase is no,
startling. And it appears insignificant
= when compared with the shipping
that has actually arrived at and de.
parted from British ports in the
meantime. Thus far 1t appears tina,
there has been q greater interruptior
OF the traffic Of neutrals with each
other than in the traffic to and from
Great Britain.
X X X i X
Swiss dispatch announces the
abandonment by Germany of her Ze..
pelin campaign against London. Fol
some time there have been no ac.
counts of raids on the great city, and
in the later raids Of last fall the loss
4 es were such that the Germans hav.
apparently concluded that the gam.
g was not worth the candle. These
\ raids have at all times been unpro
ductive of any real military results
Many civilians have been killed, ant
y good deal Of private property ha.
bsen destroyed, but that is about all
n the meantime 1t is said that the
q provisions for fighting air craft have
been 10 perfected that these raid.
haye become exceedingly hazardous
& aiid Y = said that hereafter such Yep.
peiin raids AZ are undertaken will be
confined p the provinces.
KS VI y = X +
Thsre haS been, as yet no clear de.
aniticn Of Austrian policy. despite tn.
q s9Nrts OF the American government
eFts reach an understanding. The con.
elusfonS drawn from the Austrian
gtatemsHt made some weeks ago i,
llat Austria will act in harmon,
ith The policy Of her ally in relation
the submarine warfare. In tina
zse relations must be suspended Will
s Austria At present the affairs Of thu
B austrian embassy 1t Washington ar<
eonductAd BY subordinate, the nsv
IL meaAsador having not yet presented
5. = s!s : nstaal ~ = OUTS lsulsIs