The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-20
President, Awaiting Develop
msnts. Delays His appear
ance Before Congress
NO OFFICIAL ADVICES AS
TO YARROWDALE'S MEN
But Spanish Minister Reports
They viii Be shortly Re-
leased us. Ships at Beirut
to Take Citizens Aboard

Washington, Feb. l9.--With the
German crisis apparently suspended
in midair, 1t was officially stated to-
day that President Wilson will not
go before congress at present"
There was no disposition TO state.
however, that the president has de-
termined not to lay the demands of
the international situation before con-
gress some time between now and the
expiration of the sixty firth congress
on March 1. Despite the clearly de-
fined lessening OF the International
tension. 1t was apparent III tdnItHfs-
tration circles that the president will
not allow the present congress to die
without making ample provision TO
meet any emergency that may grow
out of the German crisis. 1t was
stated that he will probably go before
congress late this week or early next
week
Tension SIackcns.
The slackening of the German cam
paign of destructiveness on the high
seas and the fact that as yet no overt
act had been committed involving
American lives and American ships.
brought d general feeling OF relief to
Washington Tonight In some quar-
ters there was even an inclination to
believe that some means may be
found for preventing the German stu
alton from developing into open hos
tiities between the two nations. No
one in authority, however would &C
cept the responsibility for pointing
out a method of accomplishing this
result. But IL was clear that the ad-
ministration generally feels less
alarmed over the situation than it has
at any time since relations between
the two nations were broken off,
In this connection administration
sources today emphasized the fact
that the only serious question in dis
pute between the two countries is the
submarine problem. II was stated by
an authority close to the state depart
ment tonight that the numerous other
matters which have aggravated the
break between the two countries the
detention of the Yarrowdale prison
ers, the treatment of American cit
zens in the Teutonic countries ana
other minor matters of this character,
were mere collateral issues.
Not Causes of War.
These are matters to be settled
by negotiation or other means" it
was stated They are not matters
which would lead to hostilities be-
tween the two countries. We must
not lose sight Of the fact that the
submarine issue is the only matter of
paramount import
At the state department, however,
it was stated that so far as official
advices went, the seventy-two .Amer'-
cans taken to Germany as prisoners
aboard the Yarrowdale were still de-
tanned II was announced that this
government had been notified through
Spain that the larrowdale prisoners
would be released shortly" but that
no official notice that they had been
turned loose had been forthcoming
The department announced that the
peremptory demand for their release
had been forwarded to Berlin. but
that SO far 1t had produced no reply.
Despite the communication through
the Spanish government. the admins
tration was plainly concerned over
the continued detention of the pris-
oners The state department is also
waiting with some anxiety for the
actual departure OF The trainload OF
consular officers and other Americans
which. according to Berlin advices
will leave Germany some time this
week
Turkish Situation.
to relieve the /, zoe or more
American refugees under Turkish ju-
risdlction in Asia Minor, now rests