The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-02-13
AUSTR0 CITIZENS LEAV
New Ambassador May Never
Present Credentials to This
Nation,

WASHINGTON, Feb l3-Bcrlln'' .
formal announcement that the time has
expired for all exceptions in the cam
paign Of ruthlessnesS, turned attention
here today to the question which con
fronts the American government III
whatever next steps may be taken to-
meet the situation
Cabinet Discusses Situation.
President Wilson abandoned hrs usual
morning game OF goli and remained az
work in his study In the afternoon the
cabnc, met and vent over the si'ua-
ton
Among the questions now being care.
fully considered are
The proposed conference OF neutrals
TO outline the rights OF the nations not
engaged IN the war This has not taken
definite form and its exact status has
not been divulged; nevertheless II IS
known the idea has no, been abandoned.
Loaning of Guns.
Loanlng guns for the arming OF
American merchant ships. The prepon-
derancc OF opinion among officials who
,ravc advised the president on this point,
iayor' having the navy furnish the
guns.
Action on AuStria'S situation i'll the
new campaign The ambassador, Count
arnowski still is waiting TO present
his credentials
A reply TO Mexieo's suggestion for
embarRoes on food and ammunition to
the bellgerents
May Be Decided Soon.
Any or all OF these questions arc eS-
Ipooted to be decided III the near future
While it was reiterated today that the
president would not be rushed into war
It was plain that all officials expected
that the much feared overt act nigh,
come at any time
Baroness Swiedinek, wife OF the
charge OF tho AuStro- Hungarian EN-
baSSy, has made arrangements TO de-
part from the United States with Count
and Countess Won Bcrnstorii and the
German embassy staff. In some quar-
tiers the departure Of the wife OF III,
charge was regarded as significant, II
view OF the status OF relations between
the United States and Austria Hun
gary At the embassy. however, II wa
said that the baroness was simply tax
ing advantage OF wha, seemed to he ;
safe opportunity to return to Austria
where her children are.
One Other Suggestion Pending.
Fla, rejection BY the United States o
GermanyS proposal to discuss interna
tional differences without first halt
/ ing the illegal submarine campaigr
left one other suggestion OF The Ber
lin government pending at the stat
, department today That was to reai
firm the PruSSian- American treaties o
q l7@ and 1893, relating manly II
! ,rea.men, OF enemy residents in wa
times with a number ot new provision
which apparently would constitute al
most new treaty.
1t seemed quite probable lha, ,hi
proposal. the same as that Submt;c,
J 10 Ambassador Gerard a, Berlin afte
he had asked for his passports, an
A which he declined TO consider, will b
n irowned upon also, Both offers wer
q submitted TO the state department
$ through the Swiss minister. acting o
c behalf of Germany
Report on Ships Soon.
I a report probably will be made 500
i, through the same channel that no Ger
man merchant ships have beer seize
IN American ports aud no German sail
ors have been imprisoned. The gov
ernment then will look for lmmedia,
release OF the Seventy-two America
sailors captured from British ships !
the Atlantic by German raider an
now held prisoners in Germany. I'll
state department was notified yestel
day that they were still held pendin
n receipt OF information on the Germa
: crews in THIS country.