Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-03-15
wages until they returned to the
United States.
Does Not Change Situation.

Washington, March l4.--In the alb.
scnce Of official dispatches on the de.
struction of the steamer Algonquin
officials withheld comment. but the
unofficial view was that nothing in
the incident changes the situation be-
tween the United States and Ger
many.
President Wilson already has taken
steps to place the nation in state OF
armed neutrality, which, with the
breaking OF diplomatic relations with
Germany, is practically the last meas
ure possible short Of war. American
ships now are being armed to defend
themselves against unlawful submar-
inc attack. The general view today
is that arming Of ships is the only
answer to submarine operations short
Of declaration of war, which may
be, made only by congress.
The circumstance that the Algon-
quin carried foodstuffs, which are con-
traband, and that 1t recently was
transferred from British to American
registry, transaction Germany
might plead it would not recognize,
are not taken to outweigh the fact
that the ship was reported destroyed
without warning. Neither does the
TACT that apparently no lives were lost
mitigate the situation.
Not the Overt Act.
But the real fact. as unofficially ex-
pressed, is that while the destruction
Of an American ship in suck manner
is serious, the American government
already has taken all the steps it can
take to meet such a case, unless il
wishes to take the last step and de-
clare war.
The real issue OF peace or war is
expected to come when all American
armed ship has clash with a Ger
man submarine.
A series Of distractions OF Ameri-
can ships probably would arouse con-
gress to a declaration OF war, il, in
deed, Germany should not declare war
on the United States, as many expect,
as result Of the first encounter with
one Of its submarines.
Up to the present in the absence
OF action by congress, all that could
be done to meet such case as the
destruction OF the Algonquin already
has been done, 1t is generally &C.
cepted on first reports as not being
the overt act"
According to later advices from
Plymouth, the German submarine
opened fire upon the Algonquin from
distance of 1000 yards, firing about
twenty shells. These were not suffi-
Gent to sink the steamer, so il was
boarded by men from the submarine
who placed four bombs, and the All.
gonquin was then blown up. The
crew was given plenty OF time to
leave the vessel.
The Captains Story.
Plymouth, via London, March IA
Captain A. Nordburg OF the American
steamer Algonquin, which was torpc,
docd by Grman submarine on Marcel
y, is now at Pesance. He will arrive
with his crew in Plymouth tomorrow
morning. In an interview Captain
Nordburg said that the Algonquin wa
bound from New York for Londoi
with foodstuffs.
ION Monday morning" he said
''just after daylight ! was on tn
bridge. 1t was the mates watch.
saw two steamers, apparently collier.
steaming west, one on the starboar'
and the other on the port side. Tw,
minutes later the mate called my at
tention to another object and at once
! said, i think that is a submarine
THE submarine was about three
miles distant. as were also the steam
ers. Immediately saw a flash OF ;
sun and she'll fell short. At once |