Gunnison news-champion., 1917-02-16
GERMANY ASKS
FOR CONFERENCE
KAISER .WANTs TO DISCUSS
MEANs eoR pRevEMrINo War
DECLARATION ~ U.A
GERARD QUITS BERLIN
AMs<ssAOoR. H's STAFF AND ~
REFUoees sAv FAREWELL TO
NARROWED coMRApea

MARooMED COMRADES.
western Nevspapsr usioa Nsws Service.
Zurich. Switzerland. Fob. 1.-THE
American ambassador, James W. Ger.
ard. arrived At the Swiss boundary, at
Schaffhausen. Sunday afternoon. He
was met BY the American minister to
Switzerland. Pleasant A. Stovall, and
representatives Of the Swiss army. He
was accompanied BY his staff and .
party OF Ito refugees.
Peking.-rhe Chinese Cabinet has
indorsed the American action agAinst
Germany on the submarine campaign.
The Cabinet has assured the Ameri.
can minister. Dr. Paul 9. Reinsch. that
China associates itself firmly with the
United States. The Chinese govern.
ment has advised the German govern
ment that China will break of diplo.
matte relations II the new submarine
measures are pursued
w e.AAAA6 0GA many o8D tnlAA8NO0
overtures to the United States to
avert war between the two nations. II
IL not understood that the Berlin gov.
eminent has proposed any modifica-
ton Of its ruthless submarine cam.
paign and officials here say they can.
not enter upon such discussion while
vessels continue to DO destroyed in Vi.
olation Of international Law. Late Sat
urday afternoon DR.. Ritter. the Swiss
minister. now in charge OF German If.
fairs in this country. communicated
to the State Department An informal
message from the German government
stating that Berlin Ii willing to con.
slider suggestions to promote the safe
~ OF Americans and American ships
In the new submarine war zone.
: DR.. Ritter explained that he was not
authorised to 30 into details but mere
ly to say that suggestions from the
United States ~ to the means OF pro
tecting Americans and American prop
erty from injury By German subma-
rinss would be welcomed By the Ger.
man government.
The Swiss envoy talked with Coun-
selor Polk. who Immediately laid the
matter before Secretary Of state Lam
sing. President Wilson then was 3D.
vised Of the move made By Germany.
Although no definite answer was
given. the President was represented
- holding that al the suggestions
for insuring the safety Of Americans
in the war sonss that it u possible
to give have bssn given to Germany
BY the United States and that the dis
regard Of these suggestions 10 what
led to the rupture. The United States,
DR.. Ritter was informed. sees NO way
in which the German government can
assure Americans Of safety without
abandoning the sinking Of merchant.
men without warning.
Df. Ritter's move u believed b.
many administration officials TO b Q
harbinger Of more definite proposals
By Germany to bring about . recon.
ciliation with the United States and
avert the danger OF war.
President Wilson takes the position
that no overtures By Germany are nec.
essafy and that II Germany desires to
avert war she can accomplish that pur.
pose most effectively BY abandoning
the ruthless toFpsdoing Of merchant
men.
Arrangements have boen completed
Tor the departure from New York To-
morrow OF Count Won Bernstorff and
his staff on board the stsamship Fred.
srick VIII for Christiana, Norway.
Agents Of the Observation-Disclosures
line In New York received permission
Of the owners In Copenhagen 70 re
the vessel to carry the German ambas-
sador across the Atlantic.
-Four steamers. agsrssating 1S,sss
tons. sunk Of believed to have bssn
sunk. constituted The harvest Of the
German submarine campaign 6atur.
day. Three Of thsss ware British, the
Manitoba. s.s3s tons; the Dullinston.
z.s1e tons; and the Beschtres, 1,177
tons. The fourth WAS the Norwegian
steamer Solbakksn. ISIS tons. This
u an increase of upward Of 5000 toas
over the amount Of tonnage Destroyed
Gfiday.
The total number ct vessels a.
stroysd In ths period Of submarine
operations Of Feb. ! to .. inclusive. u
ssid to bs sighty-nine, of which TWEEN.
ty-ons were nsutral vessels. Durins
that period. II u stated. more than
1.10o vessels arrived q or sailed -
harmed from parts Of The United
Kingdom.
Sweden. Spain a1A Switzerland have
besn active IN Bsstin seeking 70 fnfla-
snes Germany to make an sffoFt 70
conciliate the United States.
TWO American vessels. the ROCKIES
Ter and Orleans. LETT New York a