Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-19
'SITUATIO n lis
UNCHANGED BUT
OUTLOOK HOPEFUL
President Will Not Go Before
Congress With Further
Request
RELEASE OF YARROWDAEE
SAILORS IS DEMANDED
Negotiations Still In Progress
to Prevent Break with
Austria
By Robert J. Bender.

(united Press staff correspondent
Washington, Feb. 19.--Although ma
changed in its dangerous particulars, the
German American situation today was
generally regarded by officials as more
hopeful than at any time since the dip-
lomatic break two weeks ago.
The situation is such that the United
Press can state positively the president
has emo present intention of going to
congress to discuss it in any way. /"
No covert act has yet occurred and
officials see in recent actions by Ger
many, no apparent change of attitude
toward this government.
The purpose of the president is nm
changed, however He does not intend
to pause in the work of preparing, mere
| ly because there appears to be ma
terial slump in the daily "bags7 of r.
boats
Demand Sailors Release,
| Formal demands have gone forward
as was expected for release of the Am
erican Yarrowdale prisoners held in Ber-
| lin. When on Saturday confirmation of
press reports that the prisoners had
been released failed TO reach the state
department, the government eabled its
demands Twenty-four hours later See
lretafy Lansing was notified by the
Spanish ambassador at Berlin that the
tprisoners would be released soon. y
This, however, Lansing intimated to-
day, probably was not in response to
Saturdays demands, but rather to in
quiries previously sent.
With this and other critical situations
lalleviated, the president today is laying
krtla hnt i.,n - "a
icongress adjourns, March S.
/ Pacifists Are Encouraged
| Congress members who have frankly
depressed paeifist and pro-German ten
ldencies in floor speeches are much I'M
pressed with reports from Austria TO the
effect that officials there are hoping
flor a complete congressional airing of
German American relations. Such mem
bers have themselves expressed that
1 identical view.
This procedure is exactly what the
lpresident wishes to avoid at this time.
ut is the one thing that might force his
lhand and make him feel he should i'm
|mediately ask through the medium Of
ADMINISTRATION leaders or personal appeal
for the powers he is known to want in
handling the international situation
1t was pointed out today that tho
lpresident has two alternatives. One is
introduction by his congressional lead,
Iers Of a joint resolution providing an
appropriation aud free rein and in hand
Hing the situation; the other Is the per
Isonal appeal in which he would be ex
pected once more to outline the whole
situation and suggest that, in view OF
the present critical condition Of affairs,
4 congress should vest in him broad paw
ers to protect American rights, proper
1 ty and lives as he sees it,
Decision Up TO President.
/ IT apepars a near certainty that the
president will reach decision on these
two alternatives within the next few
days because Of the proximity of adj
Iiournment. 1t may be stated positively
that unless the situation takcs drastic
turns for the worse, the president does
mot want, and will do all in his power
Ito avoid an extra session
4 In the meantime negotiations tending
to avoid break between Austria Hun
gary and the United States continue.
First Secretary Grew, formerly Of the
Berlin embassy, has arrived III Vienna,
according to unofficial reports. Some
thing definite in the Anstro-Ameriean
situation can be expected at any time,
state department officials limited That
I Grew carried important messages from
this country to Ambassador Penfield IL
/ admitted With this information in
hand, Penfield win be able to explain
lin detail to the Austrian foreign office
CONTINUED on page tw0.1