Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-02
Greatest Secrecy Prevails Re-
garding Action Taken by
Administration on KaiSer's
New Policy,
ANNOUNCEMENT TO Be
MADE WHEN READY
Certain Physical Readjust-
mentS" Are Necessary in
Order to Prepare Nation for
Emergency.

10Y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED w,ax,
washington, Feb. l.--Whatever
course of action President Wilson has
chosen to meet Germany's declara-
tion of unrestricted submarine war
fare is known only to three or four
members of his official family. Neither
the cabinet as whole, nor the foreign
affairs committees of congress have
been taken into his confidence.
One high official close to the presI-
oent declared tonight that no com,
muniCation had been sent to Berlin or
to Count Won Bernstorff, who out.
wardly was expecting a severance of
diplomatic relations.
There was every indication in Of
ficial quarters that note had been
determined upon, but the opinions
as to whether it actually had been dis
patched were about evenly divided,
with a few high officials as authority
that it had not and some others who
gave intimations of a belief that 1t
had.
To Challenge Announcement.
From under the curtain of official
silence, drawn closely over every move
today, came various indications taken
everywhere as index fingers pointing
toward the probable course of the
| United States.
1t was undisputed that the govern
ment would not permit Germany's an
! nouncement to stand without chal-
lenge.
But whether President Wilson's an
swer VIII be solemn warning of q
break in diplomatic relations If Ger
inanys campaign Of ruthlessness is
] carried intos execution, or actual se,.-
| aTpnpn nf t.,tt :.
waiting, remained undisclosed.
White House officials and Secretary
Lansing followed the same course
they have adopted on previous occa-
sions when a communication had been
| dispatched to Berlin and they were
| waiting Its receipt in the German capi-
tai before making any announcement
| In this country. 1t was a course of
| absolute silence. of flat refusal to dis
close any information whatever, to
discuss the subject in any way or to
answer any inquiries upon it.
All the days developments followed
| this same course which has become
familiar to close observers of the pro-
cedure of the administration when 1t
! is dealing with a foreign crisis.
Secretary Lansing began by DENYING
! himself to all callers. Notwithstand-
! ing 1t was the regular day for receiy-
Ing representatives of foreign govern
/ ments at the state department he de-
| clined to receive such persons as the
British and Japanese ambassadors,
| and they were turned over to subordi-
nate officials.
1t became know then that Mr..
Lansing was engaged at work "on
something for the president"
Shortly before noon, the secretary
went to the White House, taking with
him some documents and. instead of
going to the executive offices went
to the mansion itself, where he and
the president conferred undisturbed
for more than an hour
When he left the president, Mr..
Lansing refused absolutely to discuss
the situation or answer any inquiries.
Then, later in the day when he met
| newspaper correspondents, he said:
II have nothing to tell you neither
Will | answer any questions
He modified his latter statement
only to say that he had no communi-
cation throughout the day with the
German ambassador, adding that
there was no prospect of any am
nouncement during the night.
Among all officials capable Of
fuo"lHg tlle prODdDle course or tne
president, the only point OF doubt
seemed to be whether communica-
tion to Germany would carry only q
warning, or whether it would consider
Germany's declaration sufficient in
itself for action. All seemed to take
it for granted that decision had
been determined upon quickly.
1t was pointed out that one reason
for Withholding knowledge of the
presidents course is the necessity of
completing certain arrangements,
many of a physical character, to pre-.
pare the country for eventualities
which would be expected to follow a
dirlomatic break. The safeguarding
Of American ports, safety of Amer
leans in Germany, the presence Of
German ships in American harbors,
and many other considerations are
among them.
No Half Way Measure.
The last correspondence with Ger
many which demanded the total aban-
donment of such submarine warfare as
the central powers are about to re-
sumo, declared that the United States
would sever diplomatic relations "al-
together This is interpreted as leav-
ing no opportunity for half way meas
ures; it means the withdrawal of Am
hassador Gerard and the whole en-
bassy staff from Berlin and the clos
ing of the German embassy here.
lnasmuch as any action by the Unit
ed States would be directed against
Germany as nation and not against
her ambassador as an individual, 1t
was thought unlikely that severance
would be announced by the delivery
of passports to Count Won Bernstorff.
but would be preceded by formal noti-
fication TO Berlin of the American gov-