Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-02

ports. safety Of Americans in Germany.
the presence of German ships in Ameri-
can harbors and other considerations
are among them.
The latest correspondence with Ger
many which demanded the total abandon
| ment Of such submarine warfare as the
| central powers are about to resume, de-
| clared that the United States would sever
diplomatic relations altogether That
Is interpreted as leaving no opportunity
for halfway measures; 1t means the
withdrawal of Ambassador Gerard and
! the whole embassy staff from Berlin. and
Would Notify Berlin First.
Inasmuch as any action by the United
States would be directed against Ger
| many as a nation. and not against her
ambassador as an individual, il was
| thought unlikely that severance
would be announced by the delivery OF
passports to Count Won BernstorT. but
| would be preceded by formal notifica-
tion to Berlin of the American govern
| ment's decision. The delivery of pass
ports to the ambassador would be left
! as formally of the future
There was no denying. however. that
Count Won Bernstorff fully expected the
action of the United States to be swift
and decisive. 1t became known that
SeNeTdl times during lne ldSC week ne
had attempted to discourage Americans
from sailing for Europe. He has de-
clined to write letters of introduction
for friends and on other pretexts, with
out disclosing his knowledge of what
was about to happen, has done his best
to discourage them from going to Eu-
rope
Germany's view, as expressed here. is
that neutrals should not object to the
German blockade. inasmuch as they
have been unable to raise the British
American ships venturing
into the barred zones, 1t frankly was
said. would be in danger of being sunk.
but it was declared that Germany and
her allies would give up the campaign
of ruthlessness should neutrals, acting
together, cause Great Britain to raiso
her blockade or should there be q peace
conference.
Ambassadors Confer.
The first act Of Count Tarnowski, the
new Austrian ambassador, after installing
himself in his embassy here today. was
to hold a long conference with Count
Won Bernstorff. 1t was said that Count
Tarnowski would arrange to presena
his credentials to President Wilson a.
soon as possible.
The only note of dissent from the
general opinion that President Wilson
was preparing to meet Germany's new
warfare with drastic action came from
groups in the capital which have been
urging peace moves upon the adminis-
tration. They professed to believe
that the Presidents first step to meet
the new situation would be bold
stroke for peace. and they professed to
believe that every effort would be
made to maintain relations with Ger
many rather. than to break them. This
view, however, was wholly opposite
from that of officials who ought to
know the administrators disposition
Ambassador Riano Calls.
Ambassador Riano of Spain called aa
the State Department apparently as a
seeker of information for the benefit Of
his government. He was in conference
several minutes with Counselor Polk.
but is understood to have received no
intimation of the intentions of ths
United States.
No information was available here re-
garding the attitude which Spain will
assume toward the German submarine