The Benson signal., 1917-02-17
AS PROTECTION AGAINST SUBMA'
RINES, U. S. MAY ARR ALL
MERCHANT SHIPS.
DETAIN Y AMERICANS
WILL RELEASE YARROWDALE'S
CREW WHEN TEUTONS ARE RE-
LEASED, SAYS ZIMMERMANN.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington.-The State Department
Monday made public a memorandum
presented by Dr. Paul Ritter, the
Swiss minister acting for Germany,
proposing a discussion with the Unit
ed States over the new submarine
campaign. Germany proposes to nego-
tiate for the safety of American ship
ping, provided the Commercial block.
ade" of England is not interfered
with. The American government has
replied that it cannot enter negotia-
tions unless Germany restores the Sus-
sex pledges and withdraws proclama-
ton of unrestricted submarine war
fare.
Washington. - Administration Off
cials began Monday to share the inn
patience Of shipping men over forced
detention of American vessels in home
ports because of Germany's U-boat
war This feeling appeared likely to
armament for merchantmen. The solu-
tion will probably be direct or indirect
issuance by the Navy DEPARTMENT OF
guns to merchant ships desiring them
London.-The American Commission
for relief in Belgium has been official
ly notified by the German authorities
that the Americans will withdraw
from participation in the relief work
in Belgium and northern France. This
step was taken in reply to an order
from the German authorities that
Americans must withdraw from the
provinces of Belgium and northern
France, leaving only a few of their
representatives, headed by Brand
Whitlock, American minister to Bel
gium, in Brussels.
Berlin.-Foreign Secretary thinner
mann Monday informed the Associ-
ated Press that he had requested the
Swiss government to make inquiry in
Washington regarding the status OF
the crews of interned German ships in
American ports.
Pending an answer the seventy-tWo
Americans taken by the German raid
er and brought in by the Yarrowdale,
whose release had been agreed to, are
being held in Germany, the foreign
secretary stated.
n1,ripo tho 1oc wool rp0urrinO rlI-
mors have reached Berlin by way of
London, in which it was announced
that the United States government
had sequestered the German ships and
interned their crews.
"In regard to the Yarrowdale pris'
oners,'' the foreign secretary stated,
"these men had been taken off armed
merchantmen and their status had
| been established. They will be liber'
ated' just as soon as we learn the fate
of the German crews in American
| ports
The release of the Yarrowdale pris
oners was agreed to with Ambassador
Gerard on the eve of the break in re-
lations, but the possibility of the Ger
man crews being interned in the Unit
ed States prompted the admiralty to
rescind the orders liberating the
Americans held with the rest of the
'Yarrowdale prisoners.
1t is pointed out here that this epi
sode is further illustration of the
menace growing out of the lack of ia
cilities of free intercommunication
by both countries.
Herr Zimmerman reaffirmed his
previous statement that the Ameri
cans now in Germany will be permit
ted to move about unmolested and be
perfectly free to leave the country
whenever they desire, even if the
break threatens to reach the ultimate
stage.