Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-12
Present Crisis More Difficult.

American relations again and
again have passed through crises APP
parently hopeless, but this time the
crisis is more difficult than the former
ones. and even the optimist can
scarcely see any peaceful egress out of
The impasse.
~ From neutral cable Office it now is
possible to tell the story of the devel-
opment of the present crisis, on which
the most rigid censorship has been ap-
Piled in Germany.
To the observer in Berlin the ap-
preach of the crisis had been plainly
and definitely evident since the reiec-
ton of Germanys peace overtures. In
formation as to Germany's definite de-
cision to start sharpened submarine
war, and even the form it would take,
namely, blockade of specified regions
Though the idea of a prohibited zone"
later was substituted for that of
blockade" at the request of the naval
authorities. who anticipated. possibly.
formal objections under the blockade
regulations), was received by the AS
sociated Press almost on the morrow of
Ambassador Gerard's speech on Ger
man-American good relations delivered
at the banquet of the American Asso-
citation of Commerce and Trade early in
January.
A week later it was stated that a full
decision on the situation had not been
reached, and that the campaign world
not be launched until after further con-
ssultations with Germanys allies and
the receipt of certain Information from
Count Won Bernstorf and Count Tar
noWski Won Tarnow, respectively Ger
man and Austro-Hungarian ambassa-
doris to the United States, of their con-
-cept of armed merchantmen and their
liability to attack as warships
Final Decision at Grand Conference.
The final decision on an out-and-out
submarine campaign of so-called
ruthless type apparently was taken at
the grand Austro- German conference
AT German headquarters on the Ger
man emperor's birthday, though the
Associated Press heard the statement
that submarines departing several
days earlier for stations on the sub
marine hunting grounds were provided
with contingent orders for this event.
uality.
The censorship, however, shut down
ushtly on any definite statements or
predictions of the approaching crisis
the Associated Press being then in,
!. FORMED from usually reliable sources
: that 1t was desired for marine and
!. technical reasons, to have the decision
:. come as a surprise. This intimation
= was conveyed confidentially to the Ger
q man newspapers. All dispatches going
:. INTO the subject in detail. however,
2 either were suppressed entirely or ref
:, erences to coming events censored out
. of them, and the only resource was to
.. use again and again the word "block-
:, ade. IN discussions of submarine pos
" sibilities.
:. Ambassador Aware of Gossip.
q Ambassador Gerard. of course y.s
81 also aware of the current gossip and
& probably was able to advise the State
=. Department of the possible turn In
" events. even while the echoes of his
. banquet speech were still resounding.
!. But he was given no intimation from
!" Official sources. Foreign Office officials
:" avoided the subject in conversations
i. with him. and even at his interview with
- Foreign Minister Zimmermann the day
.. before the chancellor's official an
i. nouncement In the reichstag of a ruth
80 less submarine campaign, Herr Zim-
.. mermann gave him no definite state
~ ment on the morrow's proceedings. al
"a. though the decisions had been finally
!. reached and the text of the note and the
., memorandum We're ready, and even
- maps of the prohibited zone had been
prepared for the use of the German
newspapers.
The ambassador and the America n
government therefore were faced with
the announcement of fact accomplish
- ed when on the afternoon of January
81. Dr. Won Bethman Hollweg. the i'm
perial chancellor, promulgated in the
..reichstag committee the news that a
.Ielentless submarine campaign would
begin Immediately and read to the com
.,mittee the text of the memora ndum on
-che prohibited zone and the note to the
United Embellishments which reach
ed the American embassy only several
:!hOurs later.
:, No Chance for Negotiations.
:, There was. therefore. no opportunit,
sor, an occasion, as in the days of the
Sussex trouble, for any negotiations to
prevent the crisis OF an attempt Il
stave off the coming break between tn,
two countries. There was no chance
this time for discussion with the chan
cellor or an interview with the en-