The Washington herald., 1917-02-20
HIGH TENSION RELIEVED
Failure of Overt Act" to Ma
terialize Clears Atmosphere
In Administration Circles.
THINK WAY OUT CAN BE FOUND
Pre'eE: Congress, However. VIII D.
Asked to Provide for Any
Emergency.

WITH the German crisis apparently
.usrc"dcd in mid-a:r it was o. ;ciallv
ataicd yesterday that President Nil
son vii not 60 before Congrc>s at
present"
There WAS no disposition to state,
however, that the President has de-
termIncd not to lay the demands of
'he international situation before
Congrcs, some time between now
and the expiration Of the Sixtv-ffth
Congress on March 4.
Despite the clearly defined lessen
ing OF tho international tension. II
was apparent in administration cir
oles that the President will not allow
the present Congress to die without
making ample provision to meet any
emergency that may grow out Of the
German crisis. 1t was stated that he
Will probably go before Congress late
this week or early next week.
Hope for Way out.
The slackening OF the German camps .gu
OF destructiyeness on the high seas, and
the fact that as yet no overt act has
been committed involving American lives
ana American ships brought a general
feeling Of relief to Washington
Last night in some quarters there Wss
even an inclination to believe thai some
means may be found for preventing ths
Serman Situation from developing tntl
] open hosuliiies. ana it was clear that rh,
administration generally feels less alarm
go over the situation than it has at any
tine since relations between the two ma
IONS were broken Of.
Only One Difference.
Administration sources yesterday eu-
phasized the fact that the only ssrior.
question in dispute between the two conn
tries is the submarine problem Il was
stated by an authority close 10 the state
Department that the numerous other
matters which have aggravated the break
between the two countries. the deten-
uon Of the YarroWdale prisoners The
treatment or American citizens and other
minor matters OF this character. were
merely collateral issues.
OnciaIs Worried.
At the State Department. however. 4
Was stated that so far as official advices
went the seventy-two American cftizens
taken TO Germany as prisoners aboard
the Nsrrowdale were still detained. IL
was announced that this government had
heen notified through Spain that the Var
rowdale prisoners would be released
shortly" but that no Official notice that
they had been turned loose had been
forthcoming.
The department announced that the
peremptory demand for their release had
been forwarded to Berlin. but that so far
II had produced no reply. and the admin
/ iStration was plainly concerned over the
continued detention Of the prisoners
Action TO relieve the ,OIO or more Amer
, lean refugees under Turkish Jurisdiction
IN Asia Minor now rests with President
Wilson personally. He will review the
ehtlre situation and is expected TO make
, a decision soon.
Austria May BreHL
Negotiations TO the American atti-
tude toward Austria are proceeding slow
I ly, largely because Of the difficulty OF
securing direct communication Ambas-
, sador Penheld. in Vienna. is in fun charge
oi the situation, and he IS expected TO
make every effort to prevent a breach
between the two countries There wss
some concern yesterday. however. over
the possibility that Austria might precipi-
tate crisis by recalling Ambassador
IarnowSki The long delay by this gov
einment in permitting the new Ar1bs 50
dor TO present his credentials. il vas
stated, might be looked upon as rrourd
for Austria refusing TO allow her renre-
I sentative to be subjected to the humilia
ion OF having his credentials disrerarde5
indefinitely.