Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-03-22
WITH THIRTY AMERICANS MISS.
ING UNOFFICIAL OPINION IS
THAT STATE or WAR WITH
GERMANY EXISTS.
PRESIDENT MAY CALL
CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY
Sending Warsh!ps to Clear Sea Lanes
Of Submarines 10 Regarded az the
Next Move--.prcsIdent Has
Power to Treat Attacks az
Act Of War.

London, March 20.--~Three ships fly.
lng the American flag are the victims
Of Germany's campaign OF unrestricted
submarine warfare.
Thirty-eight members OF the crews
are missing and n number may have
perished. OF the 3S, more than 30 are
known to be American citizens.
The freighter vigilancla was sunk
without warning. Fourteen OF her
crew are missing.
The freighter City OF Memphis and
the tanker Illinois. returning to Amer.
lea light, are believed to have been
warned before sinking. but of 81 Am
orleans aboard the former, "a are mis-.
sing and 33 saved. The crew of the
Illinois was rescued.
The submarine which sank the vigi.
iAncia did not appear. The captain.
first and second mates, first. second
and third engineers and % members
OF the crew have been landed at the
Sicily Islands. The fourth engineer
and ID seamen are missing.
Virtually State Of War.
Washington, March fs.~-With the
announcement OF the ruthless destruc.
ton of three unarmed American mer.
chant ships by submarines. II was un-
officially admitted here that virtually
state Of war exists between the
United States and Germany.
Technically the United States re-.
mains In position Of armed neutral.
ity. Whether this shall be changed
between April 16. tho date fixed for
special session OF Congress, the war.
making branch Of the government.
President Wilson has not decided.
May Call Congress at Once.
One step the President IL contem.
plating Ia a call for an immediate ses.
sion Of Congress to hear an address
asking for authority to adopt aggres.
aive measures against the submarine
menace. Already American ships are
being armed to defend themselves: the
next move must be to send warships
with orders to seek out submarines
and clear the Atlantic lanes.
Presidents Course Unknown.
Some Of the highest officials of tho
government hold that tho executive
has the power to declare that state
Of war exists and to proceed with az.
gressive protective steps pending the
assembling OF Congress. There Ia no
Indication. however, that the presi.
dent will follow that course.
OF the three ships destroyed two
OF them we're unloaded and homeward
bound. and all were American built
Amertcan.owned and differed and
manned largely by American citizens.
These latest developments have
brought tho government face TO face
with the problem OF formulating def.
mite policy for the nation In case the
United States actually enters the war.
This possibility was mentioned by the
President In his inaugural address
March s.
Overt Act Has Come.
All OF the conditions outlined by the
President in his message announcing
the diplomatic break with Germany as
leading to state of armed neutrality
have now been fulfilled. The overt
act" described by him then has actual.
ly come; IL In fact IL had not been
committed when the President went
before Congress again. Since then he
has established n state OF armed neu.
trality without the specific authority
OF Congress.
President Wilson was out automo
billing when the first dispatches tell
Ing OF the three disasters came In
quick succession. Through Secretary
Tumulty he was given all available
facts Immediately on his return, In
the meantime Secretary Lansing and
other State department officials us we'll
NJ cabinet members were given the
news.
News 10 Confirmed.
Several hours. later official reports
came from Consul Frost at Queens.
town and Consul General Skinner at
London telling or the sinking of the
City Of Memphis. the vigilancia and
tho Illinois. These dispatches con.
firmcd press reports. but added few
details.
Consul Frost, reporting the sinking
OF the American steamer City of Mem.
phis. said ~ survivors had been pick.
cd up and that an admiralty vessel
was searching for eight missing.
Eight Of Grow Missing.
Tho consul's dispatch fellows.
American steamer City OF Mem
phis. Cardiff to New York. reported
sunlx by German submarine, 4 p. m.
March n, 81 miles south Of rastnet
Fifteen survivors landed at Schulz, I