Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-15
new BELGIUM SITUATION
FORCES CHAneE ON
GOVERNMENT
MESSAGES ARE VAGUE
DIPLOMAT FORBIDDEN USE OF
CODE TO COMMUNICATE WITH
WAsAlNGToN-sTATUS o< RE.
LIEF COMMITTEE IN DOUBT.
BY JOHN EDWIN NEvIN,
international News Service STAFF
C0rrocpoud. ~

international News Service Staff
Corresponds nt.)
Washington. Feb. II Brand Whit.
lock, American minister to Belgium,
probably will be recalled from Brus.
sells and sent to Havre. where the Bel.
gian government now IL established.
Definite decision will be reached on
this question shortly by the State
Department
Secretary Of State Lansing announc.
hd today that he has received conflr.
nation ot the rr1i. ira. MIR. Whit.
lock was r"n,.tt.,. to lower the
Ameri'',l ~, II nc embassy IN
Brussels. The secretary made It plain
that this was request and not an
order from the German nficials.
Tie status Of Mr. Whitlock and the
the members of American Beglian re-
lief commission is greatly troubling
The State Department. Most Of the
Americans are expected to be sent
out of German controlled Belgium but
no complete report is as yet available.
Minister Whitlock is no longer per-
mitted to use the diplomatic code In
communicating with this government
and his messages are not very clear
to the department. which now is try
ing to learn whether Mr.. Whitlock
and the Americans with him actually
are being detained by the German
authorities.
President Wilson today talked over
with Secretary Lansing the situation
in Belgium There was no effort made
IN official circles to Disguise the grave
concern felt over the Whitl0ck situa.
tion. 1t is certain that II 1t is proven
true that our minister II under de-
tention a peremptory demand for his
release will be made. The inquiries
as to the exact facts in the case are
being prosecuted thru the SWISS min
ister here and the Spanish ambassador
in Berlin.
1t was stated at the White House
today that the report that the presi-
dent was to go to congress today or
tomorrow to take the next step" in
the German submarine situation was
not true.
No arrangements have been made
by the president, 1t was stated. He
is awaiting developments and has not
as yet decided whether he will ask
congress definitely to authorize the
arming of AAmerican vessels.
So far as the Austrian situation is
concerned there has been no change
as yet. This government through
Ambassador Penfeld, in Vienna, has
asked Austria to outline her exact
position on the question of unlimited
submarine warfare While awaiting
:eply it is getting all Americans out
Of the territory Of the central powers.
Austria to Define Stand.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 15.-
Grave concern Is felt in official circles
over the reports from Berne that
Brand Whitlock, the American minis.
ter to Belgium, and all of the Ameri.
can members of the Belgian relief
commission practically are prisoners
at Brussels, Inquiry as to the truth
Of these reports have been addressed
to Berlin thru tie Swiss minister here
and the Spanish ambassador there. 1t
is considered certain that IL the re.
ports are true a peremptory demand
for their release will be made Mean.
while 1t Is understood here that the
Spanish minister at Brussels had TAX
en- charge Of the affairs Of the United
States there.
Officials say that the president
shortly must go before congress again
and lay the developments OF the entire
submarine situation before 1t and that
then legislation specifically autborl2-
ing the arming Of American vessels
will be secured While the majority
OF the cabinet considers that Ameri.
can ship owners have lull authority to
arm their vessels for defense In as
much as they cannot secure cannon
excepting from the Navy department,
it will be considered necessary to
have congress to pass on the question.
The navy has no authority at the pres
ent time to furnish arms or ships,
The official reports Of the sinking
OF the American schooner Lyman M.
Law by an Austrian submarine has
added very little to the tension. 'f.e
schooner was stopped and her crew
warned The sinking. officials say.
was Illegal In that her cargo Of lum-
Der was not contraband and the sub
marine failed to display its flag A
formal explanation OF the action Of