The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-12
REGRET BREAK
BUT INSIST ON
SUB WARFARE
GERMAN SENTIMENT
BACKS LATEST MOVE.
Willing to Brave United States
Enmity to Achieve a /:
- Quick Decision.

COPENHAGEN. Feb. II, via Lon. !.
don, Feb. IL. 1855 a. m.-How Is Ger.
many facing the existing rupture OF
relations with the United States and
the prospect Of an outbreak Of actual
hostilities?
Navy men have been urging and
preaching the nnleashing of the sub
marines for so long, even at the risk
of war. that their attitude was q fore
gone conclusion. The imperial chan.
cellor, Dr.. Won Bethmann-Hollweg; the
secretary OF foreign affairs, Dr.. Ztm-
norman, and the leaders OF the so
called chancellor faction face the pros.
pect of an outbreak OF hostilities with
the United States with keen regret.
They would have been glad to con-
tinue the policy OF good relations, even
at a considerable cost to themselves,
but yielded to the necessity OF taking
a step declared by experts as short
cut to ending the war, to which, other.
wise. @E
No End Was In Sight
How much OF confidence they ex.':
press or is inwardly felt cannot, OF
Course, be told. but Secretary Zimmet.
man, for instance, declared to the AS
sociated Press the day before the
news OF President Wilson's rupture OF
relations came, with every outward ey.
idence OF. conviction. that II the
United States would abstain from In.
reference and give Germany . free
hand. few months would see the end
OF the conflict, Two or three months
ward extended to perhaps SIX
~ Hoped ,Aoalnst Hone.
Notwithstanding the plain terms OF
President Wilson's earlier communlcRc
tions, these officials evidently hop9dt Z
" against hope that the Inauguration OF
an unrestricted submarine campaign
might, perhaps, after all, not brl46
about a breach with the United States.
for in the days between Won -Bethmann'
Hollweg's announcement and the news
of President Wilson's step In 'oreax-
Ing Of relations. they were a1elun
word from America with infnfst eno
anxiety which they make no enoft 20
When this word did come Il came
as a crash, tumbling down any: re-
naming illusions as to the Amet1csn
governments attitude and ba7ing tne:
Way completely, to any ne1otAtions
they may have hoped to undertake
upon the basis OF ,,:, -
The American -Repiy. q
! From Sunday. evening o., H6ds c
them seemed to cherish much expecta.
tion~ that the status Of rupture OF
relations would last long and that
full breach was almost inevitable.
The German people, In it's vast ma;
jority, would have been glad 70 SEQ
peace brought about from The German
oyettures. Once these failed, and the.
belief that the entente intended to
fight on for complete victory becem.
ing fixed, the average German decaares
for the use OF any weapon which may
compel peace, even at the risk Or
bringing in the United States. The
majority would undoubtedly have pre-
ferred to avoid breach with the
United States but they are willing TO-.
take that in the bargain In. trying the {
weapon in which they, now see tno,
only possible means Of bringing the
war to quick end.
Field Marshall Won Hindenburg.
chief of the general stan, too, they
are Informed, is%for the ruthless sub.
marine war, and the field marshal's;
name still wields spell upon German
minds. :. His Judgment inspires self
confidence In the minds OF the Ger
man masses.