The Washington herald., 1917-03-12
PEACE OR WAR
WITH TEUTONS
IN TEN DAYS
Navy Department Prepares to
Put Acid Test to Inter-
national Issue.
READY TO ARM U. 5. SHIPS
'Gunners and Weapons to Be Furnish.
ed All Ships Requesting
Them.

Within ten days the issue of peace
or war between the United States
and Germany will be put to the acid
test by the actual invasion of the
U-boat zone by American merchant
ships.
The navy is ready to take the sit
uation into its own hands. Its con-
troll of policy toward the submarine
menace will be independent of the
owners or masters of the merchant
men in every way, for the program
IT has mapped out has been approved
by President Wilson.
The plans of the navy include the
placing Of ten gunners undet one
commissioned naval officer aboard
each American liner of the first inn
portance; on vessels of the second
rank, a smaller number OF gun
pointers and either a commits stoned
or a warrant officer.
Independent of Captain.
ed officer to the ships is to make abso-
lutely clear the status of the navy con-
tingent on them. They are to be inde-
pendent OF the captain on all questions
relating to the submarine peril. They
will be limited only by the instructions
issued by the Navy Department
President Wilson and his advisers last
night settled down for a period OF watch
tul waiting" Long days and anxious
nights OF waiting for news from the war
zone, will now occupy Washington and
the country. The administration is con-
Ninced that the differences between the
'nited States and Germany will reach a
climax when the first armed American
merchant ship meets a German subma-
rire. While all ships movements were
shTOuded behind impenetrable secrecy, 1t
was stated last night that the departure
Of American commercial ships, carrying
raval guns and gunners, would be a mat
ter of but q few days, and that within
ten days armed American tships would
ba in the war zone.
With the gunners aboard American
ships under orders to fire at once on any
submarine which approaches in a threat
euing manner, the first encounter between
en- American ship and a German under
sea boat will bring definite. decisive re-
suits. The administration still hopes
against hope that the German submarine
commanders in the war zone will follow
International law and respect American
r:Shts
Ii the usual rules of sea warfare are
followed, and American ships are boarded
and searched for contraband, the ships
will not resist. Only this course. it is
stated, can ,revent open hostilit!es be-
tween the two nations.
Navy Ready to Act.
Meantime. the Navy Department went
steadily forward with the work of arm
ing merchantmen. Every American mer-
chant ship which requests protection will
be given adequate armament and quail
fed naval gunners. Every government
agency will be invoked to insure proper
safeguards in the way of concealing ves-
sci movements. and keeping secret de-
partures. arrivals. and probable courses
OF American ships.
Waiting for definite action in the war
zone to precipitate the climax in the Ger
man dispute. the administration concen-
trated all its energies in preparations for
any eventuality. The war-making ma
chinery Of the government is under or
ders to get into fighting TRIM and the
mobilization of the Industrial and COM
mercial forces of the nation to meet
whatever the news from the war zone
may bring forth, will go steadily on.
National
fense. and its advisory commission, 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 NAV
need to make of them
President Wilson and his advisers yes
terday began planning the program of
war legislation" which will be laid be-
fore extraordinary session, of the Sixty
fifth Congress called for April IS All
Of the matters which the President will
call to the attention of the Congress will
have to do with the international situa-
tion.
To Estimate Cost.
The War Department and the Navy
Department have been ordered to prepare
estimates of the funds that will be neces-
sary to meet any situation that may
arise. and also to frame tentative legis-
lation designed to accomplish any changes
in administrative organization that may
prove advisable. The President expects
to have a clear and definite legislative
program ready to submit when the ex-
traordinary session convenes, and he
looks for a prompt response to his legis-
lative demands.
President Wilson and Secretary Lam
sing have begun an intensive study of the
latest Austrian communication on the
submarine question. 1t is expected that
the negotiations with Austria will be
continued, temporarily at least 1t was
stated last night. however, that the Aus
trian situation would undoubtedly be
brought to a climax II an actual clash
between the United States and Germany
is precipitated by happenings in the war