The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-12
WAR AVOIDANCE
CCouttnued from First Pnge.I

TONS again aud again have passed
through crises apparently almost hope
less. hut This time the crisis Is more
difficult than the. former ones. and even
the uptiuiSt can scarcely see any peace
TAI cgr"SS o'it OF the inpaSSc.
From Il neutral Fable offi'c II now is
ro :Sihtr to toll the story of the dcvcl-
opIn"nt uC tine present crisis. OH which
the most rigid censorship has been
Applied In Germany.
To tho observer IN Berlin the ap-
proarh uf the crisis had been plainly
and definitely evident since the rejec-
iron of Ecrmany's peace orcrturcS. In
tnrnELiInu As to Gcrmany'S definite dcci-
Siou tn start 4 sharpened submarine
war and even the form II would take.
namely. a blockade OF specified regions
Though the id';t Of 4 ,''pruhibited zone"
WAS later substituted for that of a
'hlockad" at the request Of the naval
formal nhjcrrionS under tho blockade
regulations, was received by The As
S,.ciat"d Press almost on the morrow OF
tnha sSador 'icrard'S speech on Ger
mau-.tm"rn.an gnoh relations. delivered
at the banquet uG tho Ah'crican .,sSo-
citation or Commerce and Trade early in
January
\ week later II vas stated that a full
decision M Tho situation had not been
not be launched until after further con-
snltation$ with GerInany'S allies and
tic receipt of certain Information from
Count Won Bernstorff and Count Tar
nowski Won iTarnow, Respectively Ger
man aud AuStro- Hungarian ambasSa-
doris to the United States. OF their con-
cept of armed mercha ntmcn and thetc
liability TO attack aS varShtpS.
The Final Decision
"tI an out-and-oul submarine campaign
of so-cailed ruthless type apparently
was taken at tho grand .Austro-Germa!l
r"nf"reuce at. German headquarters on
4 rth I'd H., Ia
The Associated Press heard the state
mont that submarines. departing sew
eral days earlier for stations on the sub
marine bunting grounds. were provided
with contingent orders for this ercntu-
ality.
Tho censorship. however. shut down
tightly on any definite statements or
nredic,io OF fh" approaching crisis.
The Associated T'rcsS being then inform
ed from, usual: reliable SOURCES that II
reasons TO have the decision come as 4
surprise. This intimation was conveyed
,orfidcntially to the German news
PAPERS MI dispatches going into ,hc
subject IN detail. however. w"r" sifa"r
Suppressed entirely or reference TO com
ing events censored ont Of theIn and the
only resource vas 70 use again and again
the word "blockade" In discussions Of
submarine Possibilities.
Ambassador Gerard. Of course. was
also aware Of the current gossip and
probably was able tn advise the stat"
flepaStmenr IT tho possible tnrn IN
events hut he was given no inti'natlon
from official sources, Foreign office Of
ncials avoided th- subject in converse.
tions with him and even at hts interview
Nth Foreign Minister zimmerman IN"
day before the chanccllor's official an
nr11ocement in ths RaischstaE Of ruth
less submarine ca1npaign. Herr thinner
mann eavc him no DEFINITE statement on
the naorrow/s rroceedinEs although ths
decisions had been nnallT reached ara
the +er+ ~ the note and the menoran-
dun wore ready. and ever maps Of ~"
rTohihited zone had been rrenarcd 'or
The use az tho German newspapers.
The Ambassador
and .he Arue-irar government therefnre
r.a-s faonI ,--'>h no annnInrsr7nnt ~
fact ACCOMPLISHED when ~ ~. affer-
non Of January 81. DR.. Won Esthmann-