Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-01
ORDER NAVY READY
VESSELS ARE WARNED TO BE
PREPARED FOR GOVERNMENT
cALl-SECRET CONFERENCES
HELD BETWEEN WILSON AND
ADVISORS.
BY JOHN EDWIN NEV1N.
Il. n. S. Staff Correspondent

Washington, %. G.. Feb. Com
plete severance of diplomatic rcla'
tions will be the reply Of the United
States to Germany's inauguration of a
rev campaign Of frightfulness.
Oficials made that very plain today
following practically an all night
study Of the latest German note. Only
one question was before the Presi'
dent, II was said. That was. whether
to act on the note Immediately by
handing Count Won Bernstorif his
passports and simultaneously to recall
Ambassador Gerard from Berlin, or
first to make It plain to Berlin that its
new campaign would net be permitted
ny this government without most draB-
tic action
Most Of the Presidents advisers ia.
vor the former course They point to
the fact that Germany has made pub
lie at home her latest note and that it
therefore is impossible for her to re-
pudiatc It, To do so now would moan
revolution they assert.
President Wilson rose before six
O'Clock this morling. altho he had
gone to bed after midnight. He sent
the White House automobile to the
station to meet his close adviser Col
E. NJ. House, who had hurried here
from New York on the midnight train.
The latter reached the White House
at 7.25 a. m. and Immediately went to
the Presidents study Secluded from
the world the two mer discussed the
rituation with the official text of the
German note before them.
No word came from the conference
which was continued at the breakfast
table. Col. House positively declined
to talk before he went to the White
House, impaticntly brushing aside all
would-be interviewcrs. His usually
grave face seemed even moro so and
he impressed every one he saw with
his serious mien.
White House officials declined to
say whether the President would hold
a special cabinet meeting today. He
had talked with Secretary LANSING
several times thru the night and again
this morning over the private tele-
phone and was in full possession Of
all details. The secretary planned
personally to confer with the Presi.
dent at the latter's convenience.
Congressional leaders said that II
the President desired to lay the stua-
tion before Congress Joint session
could be arranged at an hours notice.
They anticipated that If the President
decided to order diplomatic break
Immediately he would take Congress
into his conlldenc without delay. At
the time of the Sussex controversy
the President promised the members
OF the two houses that he would keep
them in touch with all developments
While It was carefully pointed out
that diplomatic break did not neces.
sarlly mean war, there were few oiIl-
Gals who paid any very serious atten.
tion to this claim It was realized
tlat Germany will stop at no move
that her military chieitains consider
necessary to carry her point, and II
relations are severed 1t Is considered
certain that American ships will fall
under the submarine ban,
Because of the danger OF war,stcps
were taken to safeguard American In
tercsts everywhere. The Atlantic
fleet, gathered at Guantanamo was In
direct touch with the Navy Depart
ment. Orders have been sent to the
Panama Canal authorities to guart
against any attempt to disable tht
great waterway by the use Of dyna
mite. 1t was considered certain tina
IN the event Of the United States be
coming involved the Canal would b.
an object OF hostile attempt in order t
cut of the Chilian nitrate fields from
the short route to the Atlantic. AM
one dynamite bomb placed at the loci
y ilts ffyrstktustnt1 ~, pnpo