The Sentinel=record., 1917-02-01

N''AN | t-Nt Asif [ t lAtrt OtNH
 
 hostilities have been allowed to pass the German censor The first was that the harm the United States could do Germany as an active enemy was no srater than as a neutral supplying munitions and loans to the allies, and that the crippling of allied shipping would be the turning point of the war. This apparently is the view now adopt ed The other view was that Ger many in desperation might seek to in. volve the United States as actual enemy on the ground that her in fluence at the peace conference would be a generous one.
 Officials here, stunned at the sud denness of the German action, do no. hesitate to conceal there disquieude over the mental appropriateness of the American public for what may be com ing. The recent flood of peace dis cussion IS thought to have turned pub lie opinion in this country entirely away from the possibility of war.
 A revulsiou is expected to take place in the entente countries with the re- sult that the world war will enter a period of frightfulness unimagned heretofore. With the massing for huge offensives by land and the an nouncement of ruthlessness by sea, of. ficials look forward 10 at least a spring and summer of unprecedented slaugh. ter.
 The German notes swep away ul the issues that have previously loom ed so large such as what armament d merchant ship can carry, and re- places them with one clear issue which cannot be brooked or ignored
 In this situation President Wilson's previous policies offer the only inti nation of the future.
 Preparations for a wide sea war have been for some time indicated in many scattered dispa chcs. but no such extreme warfare was conten. plated seriously by officials here Re ports have frequently come from South American ports of German ships being made ready for dash to sea Likewise German naval reports have mtimated the probability Of an other big naval battle like the Just land battle last spring while a recent conference of allied naval authorities forecast much closer cooperation on the seas Inv the allied fleets
 When the Associated Press dis patches telling of he German rctc De gan arriving at the white house t''nay President wilson was in nis oF''te talking with a friend. Secretary Tn multy hurried to him with inc news.
 The president could not believe ] until assured that the information was contained in a formal note already le- fore the state department.
 Cabinet members likewise received the news with expressions C. amaze ment. On every hand in official cir cles the first opinion formed without detailed cooperation was that diplo matic relations with GermaAv would he broken if the terms of the decree are carried oui
 The note which was handed to James W. Gerard, the American am bassador reads:
 Your Excellency had the kindness to communicate on the 22nd of this month the message which the prest dent of the United States on the same day addressed 10 the American sen ate The imperial government took knowledge of the contents of the mes sage with that earnest attention which is becoming to the explanations of the president, inspired by his sense of responsibility
 "It affords her great satisfaction to
 tate that the general lines of this remarkable manifestation in he widest sense agree with the princi- pies and wishes of Germany and her allies. To these belong in the first place the right of self government and the equal rights of all nations. Rec.