Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-19
Not Going Before Congress Yet.

NoC Uo1nS BEFORE congress Y ct.
| 1t was stated definitely that President
Wilson has made no plans so far for
going before Congress. although it was
not denied that he still is considering
the advisability of such a step. In
some quarters it was believed possible
that he might conclude not to go to
Congress at present.
Officials generally said, however, that
some means must be found for getting
American and other vessels to resume
sailings. While considerat ton has heeu
given to various suggestions for arm
| ing and conveying merchantmen. IL
was considered possible that before
| long the vessels may sail of their own
accord.
/ Although officials maintain reticence.
| there has been an unmistakable lessen
| ing in the tension within the last two
or three days.
Immediate Release Demanded.
| Through the Spanish embassy the
State Department has been informed
| that the American sailors taken
/ prisoners to Germany on the prize
steamer Yarrowdale would be released
shortly" The State Department, through
the Swiss minister, forwarded to Ber-
/ lin Saturday a request for their imme-
/ diate releas Sc. A previous message in
| quired as 10 the reason for keeping the
men prisoners, and insisting upon their
| release.
Because of the slow and uncertain
| communica tion between Washington
and Berlin, State Department officials
| were unable to decide whether todays
dispatch was in answer to its lasf re-
quest or the previous one. State De-
partment officials are watching tie
! situation with some impatience.
Austrian Situation Perplex;ng-
| Austria's real attitude perplexes Of
| fcials here, and there is hope that Arl.
/ bassador Penfield will find. some way
to influence the Vienna government
not TO sanction formally the extreme
position taken by Germany. No answer
has been received to . direct inquiry
as to whether Austria intended 10 fol-
! low Germany.
State Department today that 50 far
nothing has been heard from the cen-
tral powers as to what course fpry
would take in the event mat IL,
United States authorized the arIllng
of American merchant ships.
Every means at the disposal of the
government continues to be used 10
prepare for any eventuality, and tho
administration believes no time hss
been wasted If a decision to aim
American merchantmen should be
reached 1t Is unueTSlOOu lHdl IL Souiu
be done very quickly.
Think Germany Is Letting UP.
Administration officials are taking
stock today of an apparently growing
discrepancy between Germany's words
and Germany's deeds. The belief thar
the American sailors captured .n me
Yarrowdale have been released: tns
fact that the American relief commits
sion is not to be thrown out of Bel
eium forthwith. and the belief that the
American liner Philadelphia has passed
through the submarine zone without
hostile action h.- Germany'S submarines
against her are circumstances which
are giving n ray OF hope
There is indeed, a well defined opinion
that the international situation createu
by Germanys threats offers brighter
prospect today than it has offered for two
weeks.
So far as Germany is concerned, there
is today a belief that. notwithstanding
her threats. Germany is endeayoring to
avoid embroilng herself with neutral gov
..rnments more than absolutely necessary.
Into this situation. too, so far as its
good influence in Washington is con-
cerned the fact is entering that the
British government is arranging TO ex-
anime ships at Halifax, SO that they
may escape the submarine zone mark
ed out by Germany, an arrangement
which will tend eventually, il is be-
lieved to increase the movement not
only of American ships, but the ships
of other neutralS, notably the Scan.
dinavian liners, which have arranged
to start home with cargoes by way OF
Halifax.