The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1917-02-01
UNRESTRICTED WAR;
FARE ON SHIPS
That Is Germany's Announce
ment-America's Rights Over
ridden by Kaiser.

fare.
A starvation blockade of England
the like of which the world never ha
seen, was announced to the worlt
Wednesday in notes delivered t,
American Ambassador Gerard in Ber
lin and to the state department her,
/ by Count Won Bernstorff.
Thus begins the long feared cam
paign of ruthlessness, conceived by
Won Hindenberg, it is said here, on q
magnitude never even contemplated
by Won Tirpitz.
Again the United States faces sew
erance of diplomatic relations with
Germany with all its eventual posi-
bilities. President Wilson's repeat
ed warnings of "world afire" and
Secretary Lansing's 'verge of war;
statement are being recalled in the
capital Wednesday night with feelings
of apprehension and misgiving.
Germany's action is super-crisis of
all those that have stirred the Ameri-
can government in two and a half
years of world war.
Talk of peace in Europe and of
means of preserving the peace of the
world has gone glimmering. Presi-
dent Wilson, incredulous at first when
the unofficial text of Germany's warn
ing was brought to him, at once call
ed for the official document which
had just been presented to Secretary
Lansing by the German ambassador.
Mr.. Lansing absolutely refused to
comment. President Wilson began
Immediately a careful study of the
document.
The president has the task of de-
Gliding what shall be the course of the
United States. Three immediate
steps appear among the possibilities.
The United States might solemnly
warn Germany against a violation of
her pledges; it might be decided that
the German warning is sufficient
notice of an intention to disregard
those pledges and a sufficient war
rant for breaking off diplomatic re-
lations; it might be decided to await
the results of the blockade and deter
mine the course of the United States
as the actual operations develop.
On almost every side Germany's
drastic action is interpreted as an
open confession of the effectiveness
If the British food blockade. 1t is
regarded as a determination to strike !
pack in kind. German officials in the !
United States estimate the food sup
ply on the British isles will last
month.
Admittedly, the plan is to carry
starvation to the door of England |
With swift, staggering strokes, as a /
'ulfillment of Germany's announced |
to use every weapon
md agency at her command to end
he war quickly. She counts on the
operations of an unheard-of number
# submarines to deliver blows to
ring England to her knees within go
lays. One Germon official here pre-
icted Wednesday the war would be
yer in a month. Conveyed to the
world as her answer to the refusal of
he entente allies to talk peace, Ger
1any's latest warning says:
"From February l, 1917, within
AIRED zones around Great Britain,
rance, Italy and in the eastern Med
.erranean all sea traffic
Drthwith will be opposed"
1t virtually is renewal and an ex- /
ension of the celebrated submarine
lockade of the British Isles pro- '
aimed on February 4, 1915, and I
-hich became effective February Is,
915. Under it ships were sunk /
-ithout warning until Germany
bandoned the practice and gave her '
ssurance, in the Sussex case, to abide {
V international law. The Lusitania, z
alaba, and scores of other ships were 5
INK under the decree. d
American citizens and American l
lips are warned from entering the
ar zones, although certain precau- t
onary measures are suggested for
American steamers not {
.rrying contraband according to the c
erman list. These conditions in al 7
ost the same form were rejected v
hen proposed by Germany early in e
e negotiations over the Lusitania. e
t that time Germany proposed to c
larantee immunity from attack to "
rtain specified passenger ships, sail a
g on prescribed courses with agreed
marks and carrying no is