The sun., 1917-02-21
U-BOat Puts American
Lives in Jeopardy by
an Attack.
FIRES ON LIFEBOAT
AFTER SINKING SHIP
One U. s. Citizen in Hospital
as Result of His EX-
pOSllre.
NOT AN COVERT ACT"
SAYS WASHINGTON
Wilson Said to Be Waiting
for More Data Before
Acting.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.--With Presl.
dent Wilson still undecided when hs
will make his next move, Germany has
given further ground for action by an
other submarine attack jeopardizing
American lives and infringing Amer
lean rights.
An official report to the State De.
partment from United States Consul
Frost at Queenstown says that two
Americans were among the crew Of the
Norwegian steamer Balbeatie. which
was sunk by shell fire thirty miles OF
Fastnet in the war zone last Saturday.
The rain of shells continued while the
crew was seeking safety in the life
boat. One of the Americans. Frank
Wood Of New Hampshire. is in the hos.
pital, suffering from bronchitis due to
long exposure.
The illegalty of the German SUBJ
marine commanders act appears with.
out question from the report Of Consul
Frost and the added circumstance Of
count to the Indictment
Though the case will not be regarded
as the overt act precipitatins matters
but rather as a collateral proof of Ger.
manys intention to disregard Amer
! lean rights. it has nevertheless brought
officials back to the full realization that
any hour may bring news of the
gravest character.
Dlspelling of Illusions.
II there has been any doubt as to Ger
| many's intention to pursue her relent-
less C-boat campaign regardless of the
United States the official press bureau
statement from Berlin, which reached
here by wireless to-day, will dispel such
illusions.
! whoever dares penetrate tho barred
zone perishes.' is the curt summary Of
| Germany's reiterated statement OF.
| fcials here particularly note the German
claim that the U-boats are sinking more
shipping than Is known to the outside
| world.
1t is realized that in some cases the
| merchant ships may go to the bottom
without the fact being known to others
| than the crew of the attacking C-boats
| In many cases there will necessarily be
| delay In learning the fate OF the steam
ers. as this news often first reaches Eng
| land through the picking up of survivors
In small boats in the open sea
| 1t Is understood here that the daily
reports sent from Great Britain give
| only the known toll of the submarines,
but the opinion here is that Great Brit
ain does not suppress news of sinkings
| except in certain cases where military
necessity might make this advisable
officials were inclined to accept tho
statement given out by the British
Embassy tonight to controvert the Ger
| man claims, showing that in two weeks
only I per cent. of the total arrivals
and departures at British ports had
been lost.
Taken With Grain OF salt.
Therefore the German claim that
many more ships have been sunk than
reported is taken with moro than a
grain of salt here. The German report
that the North Sea Is virtually deserted
by shipping is also not credited, al
though Il is admitted that the complete
tieup OF American and other neutral
shipping has kept hundreds OF thou
sands of tonnage out of the barred zcne.
The fact that Germany Is reiterating
her threats to sink on sight all shipping
, including American, Is regarded here as
signfving Germanys clation over the
fact that so much American and other
shipping has been frightened away from
the war zone. Apparently, It is ex-
planned, the German Government Is
pressing its reign OF terror decree with
all the publicity possible in the hope Of
maintaining the advantage II derives
from causing shipping to remain idle
| In this connection the eyes Of Germany
are admittedly centred on tho United
States, for the virtual blockade of all
American shipping through the Illegal
submarine decree has been one of its
most successful aspects 80 far, II is ex-
planned.
All efforts to learn when the President
now purposes 10 take action looking to
liberation of American shipping and 10
reafiirm the right of the American nag
to fly on the high seas were unavail-
able to-day. The Senate Foreign Rela-
tions committeeman who conferred last
week with the President about arminy
American ships, are now AT sea as to
why the President abandoned his plan to
appear before Congress yesterday or to-
day. The President ~ taking no ona
into his confidence with the possible
exception of Secretary Lansing and men,
bers Of his Cabinet
M Weakening.
The Cabinet meeting to-day apparently
developed no change In the situation.
| Denial was made Of reports which were
inspired In certain official quarters yes-
terday that the situation had improved 4"
1t was pointed out that the main issue
remained tho same and would continue
80 as long rs Germany's Illegal subms-
} rine blockade In contravention OF Ameri-
can rights was In force.
When and how the covert act" would