Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-14
MAY NOT HOLDOFF
FOR AN OVERT ACT
ON THE HIGH SEAS
U. S. Government Beginning to
Feel Cumulative Effect
of Incidents.
AIMING OF MERCHANTMEN
IS YET TO BE DECIDED
President May First Ask Congress
for Fuller Authority to Pro-.
tect American Commerce.

tect American Commerce.
Administration officials are beginning
" take STOCK of the cumulative effect
oil incidents these days in the rela
,ions between Germany and the United
States.
Inc time is coming, sooner or later.
some of the officials believe, when such
possibilities as overt acts" by German
submarines, the re-detention in Ger.
many OF American sailors from the
prize ship farrowdale. the advisabi,jty
or inadvisability of arming American
ships with naval guns SO that they NAV
protect themselves or other ;ndiy,d,,,
events will be overshadowed by the
Importance of the situation as a whole.
making II necessary to deal with such
possibilities and incidents as a COM
pleted case.
Incidents Are Piling Up.
These possibilities. incidents and
events are now only phases of the in
ternational situation. One official TO.
Gay hkened them to the whereases in
the Declaration of Independence"
NO single one contains at this time.
apparently, the elements which might
force President Wilson to carry out his
announced program of going before
congress again, IL necessary in his
judgment, to ask for certain nowers
to enable him to protect Americans and
American ships in their rights.
But the list of these possibilities, iu-
ciuents and events is growing, and ad-
ministration officials believe that one
aft ri.
nave to be dealt with Is the growing
congestion of freight for export, which
is bringing about embargoes in Amer
lean railroad yards, because American
abroad, and which may throw many
workmen out of employment
Serious Trade Menace. a.
Not only will workmen be thrown ont
Of employment. but the delays to Amer.
ican ships bound for abroad will show
heavy loss to American commerce. BIZ
reason of demurrage charges ON cars
stalled in railroad yards. and these de-
lays, too. will bring a severe blow to
American pride when the people begin
to realize that even If Germany 10 not
sinking American ships and killing
Americans her submarine warfare is
having the effect of closing the high
seas to neutral American commerce in
accordance with her prohibition.
Other incidents and events will come
up. The delays to mails for war-bound
Europe will come up as a subject for
earnest consideration The deep public
sympathy with stricken Belgium, from
which the representatives Of the United
States in charge Of relief work must
retire: the relations between the United
States and the other central powers
Austria Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria
all will contribute to a Tightening OF
.he situation, day by day.
In this situation, it is believed possi-
BILE that President Wilson might not
believe himself required to wait for an
overt act such as the sinking OF
American ships or the killing OF Amer
leans, before addressing Congress again.
as the cumulative effect of events shows
itself.
May Delay Gun Decision.
President Wilson is expected now to
defer a decision on the question of
furnishing guns to american merchant
ships until he decides whether to go
before Congress and ask for additional
authority for the protection of American
ships and lives ,..s
While it has been indicated at the State
Department that there can be no legal
objection to the government furnishing
guns to American merchant ships, Presi-
dent Wilson is understood to be disin-
clined to take any step which might
give Germany the slightest ground Tor
throwing responsibility for any future
trouble upon the United States. Thts
was the governments attitude today. al
though it was admitted that there IL
ways was possibility OF change, Accord
ing to circumstances
So far the government has received
nothing official to indicate any change
..1t Inv rFTna N II
can ONLY believe that American lives or
ships may be sacrificed at any moment
Cabinet Split Is Denied.
Vigorous denials were made today to re-
norts of split in the cabinet over the
question of furnishing guns for Ameri-
can ships Naturally, ii was said. there
NAV be differences of judgment, but IT
was declared that the members of the
cabinet will stand solidly behind the Pres
;dent in any decision he may make.
Among some officials here today it was
suggested that the United States next
step may be based on Senator Sauis-
bury's bill to throw open American ports
to warships of the entente allies, thus
aiding them IN their fight on the Illegal
submarine campaign Wflhou' 'aetoais GU
tering the war 49,
A break in diplomatic relations with the
other central powers seemed nearer TO-
day Ambassador Elllus at Constantinopla
has been instructed to ascertain whether
turkish submarines are operating under
the same orders as those of Germany. No
word has been received from him or from
the American consul general at Sofia since
the break with Germany, and an effort Is
heine made to discover why communtca-
ton has been cut off. The Turkish gov
ernment fhas interfered with American re-
lief for Syrians and Armenians and IS
now OBTAINING more tan 100 American
refugees at Beirut. la
Supplies Are Held Up.
Meanwhile the naval collier Caesar.
loaded with food and clothing contrib
uted by Americans for the sufferers in
Syria, and the cruiser Des Moines.
loaded with medical supplies. are lying
at anchor in Alexandria harbor, un-
willing to continue their voyage to
Beirut because of the uncertainty. as
10 what reception they would meet.
rbey are long overdue at Beirut, whero
hey were not only to unload THAR
supplies for the destitute Syrians. but
.lso to take on board the detained
Americans.
The redetention of the seventy-two
A ,nericaps brought In on the prtze ship