Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-02-16

oSi mdH SONeTuIHoLl OF tue GSIillun
people wants war with the United
States, but they expect it to come
nevertheless. They can see little hope
OF avoiding the events that they realize
will, if they occur make open HOSTILE
lies between the two countries inevi-
table.
These are the conclusions of CORE
'spondents of the Associated Press,
VINO left Berlin with Ambassador
Gerard and are able to send the first
uncensored dispatches from neutral
cable offices.
1t can also be stated that the Ger
man threat TO hold American news
paper men as hostages and the anx-
iety of the German government to in
duce Ambassador Gerard to sign a
protocol reaffirming the old-time
treaties with the United States re-
garding mutual protection of nationals
in case of hoStilitieS were undoubtedly
influenced by alarmlst dispatches from
the United States regarding the treat
ment of German citizens and property
there.
In their efforts TO prevent an open
break with the United States. the Ger
man authorities. it is said, gave in
structionS to submarine commanders
before they started on their February
mission TO take the safe side when
neutral vessels, particularly American,
We're in question. whenever possible.
Advised to Warn NeutraIs.
Enemy merchantmen. when recOg-
nized as such, were ordered to be sunk
at sight. but neutral merchantmen
We're TO be warned when such action,
in their judgment, was consistent
with the object of the campaign and
the safety of their own ships.
It was realized, however, after the
prompt and resolute stand taken by
President Wilson, that these orders
could only be palliative and only de-
fer, not avoid, an ultimate break also
that if President Wilson stood by his
announcement that the destruction of
American lives or ships would be re-
garded as An act Of hostility, q casus
helli must come sooner or later-prOb-
ably sooner on account of the number
of Americans on enemy ships.
Moreover, there was the discretion
airy nature of the instructions to sub
marine commanders, who were in
formed that, while the careful course
toward neutraIs was recommended and
desired they would no longer be sub
iected to punishment for departing
from their former procedure of warn
ing if they found this advisable.
1t is considered that the only pos
sibility of the avoidance Of hostilities
would result from modification of
it's standpoint by one or the other
| side. and so far as could be judged
from the positive declarations OF Al
fred Zimmerman, the German min
lister of foreign affairs, and other of
ficiaIs before the Associated Press
correspondents departure from Ber-
lin. there was no probability that Ger
many would give way this time or
abandon the ruthless campaign now
started.
OptimiStS give Up nope
German-American relations again
and again have passed through crises
apparently almost hopeless, but this
| time the crisis is more difficult than
the former ones and even the opti-
mist can scarcely see any peaceful
egress out of the impasse..
From a neutral cable Office 1t now
is possible to tell the story of the de-
velOpment of the present crisis, on
which the most rigid censorship has
been applied in Germany.
10 the observer in Berlin the ap-
proach of the crisis had been plainly
and definitely evident since the re-
lection Of Gernany's peace overtures.
Information AS to Germany's definite
decision TO start a Sharpened subma"
rine war and even the form 1t would
take. namely, blockade of specified
regions Though the idea Of a pro
hihited zone" was later substituted for
that of BLOCKADE at the request OF
the naval authorities, who anticipated
possible formal objections), was re-
ceived by the Associated Press almost
on the morrow of Ambassador Ger
ards speech on COMMANDMENT
good relations, delivered at the pan
quet of the American Association Oh
Commerce and Trade early in Janu'
airy.
Await Bernstorff's Word.
week later it was stated tfat
full decision on the situation had ho'
been reached and that the campaign
would not be launched until AFTER iur-
tber consultations with Germany's al
lies and the receipt of certain lnfor-
nation from Count Won Bernstorh ana
Count Tarnowski Won TarnoW, re-
spectively German and Austro- Hun
earfau ambassadors TO the United
States. of their concept OF armed mer-
rhantnen and their liability TO at
tack as warships.
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