The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-03
PUBLIC OPINION
CONTINUED from First PaHe.)

try. On that ground 1t is understood
the State Department will not issue
a formal notice through Ambassador
Gerard for Americans 10 leave Ger
many before thesituation has become
utterly hopeless. Until then. the AM
bassador Is expected to keep them
fully enough informd Of develop
ments, and perhaps TO add his per-
sonal opinion, to guide them 10 wise
desicion. There are estimated now
to be about 5000 American citizens
in Germany, of whom about three
quarters are former Germans.
Similar Situation.
A similar situation prevails with
Americans in Franco and other En-
tente and other neutral European
countries. The situation will be kept
as fully before them as possible IN
order that they may base their 1udI-
men on facts. Then, when final de-
cision is made by this country as 70
the greater issues, formal advice or
suggestions may be issued.
The German declaration Is lhoughl
! to have had the immediatee etect
expected in the temporary stopping
of much neutral shipping. The United
States is advising against .Amerlcan
/ vessels leaving its ports; Holland mas
professionally prohibited her. mer-
chantmen from going OUT; Norway
has, for the time, forbidden her yes
sells to sail; and Denmark has Sug.
| gested 10 ship owners that they first
ask official advice. Thus for the
: time being ships of those nations VIII
| hold 10 harbor. ,,,-
! These postponemrnlS Of SailIhSS'
however, are admitted only tempe'ar!
uending action on the main lSsue IN
volved. When the various nations
have decided whether they VIII &C
cent or fight the German prohlDl-
] ttons, it is understood that new SuS-
gestions will be sent out ny tnT ,, va,
rious governments concerned. WA
Spain is doing, is unknown here'
though press reports show that Prem
! ier Romanones, while negotiating
with the German ambassador as 10
the safety of Spanish vessels and the
preservation OF the Spanish export
! trade, has announced rather .equivo,
callr to the cortes thar the army anu
navy have been given instructions
commensurate with tn" crisis.
NeutraIs to Cooperate.
Co-operation by some neuLralS Is
! forecast here as a distinct poSsloiI''!'
| The whole neutral diplomatic corps
has shown degree OF interest," udiu
| lv unsurpassed during the war. as the
double question is involved, not ohI!
of what the United States is gong 10
do, but what action their own govern
ment will take. Admittedly tho ac-
/ ton of part al least of the neutrals
I; will be most decisirely influenced by
! that OF the United States anG no at
| tempt is made TO conceal the eager
ness with which the American dc-
csion is awaited.
No other proposition OF the war mas
SO completely affected all neutraIs
alike. it is pointed OUT. The German
note was addressed 10 all Of them'
and its effects will operate apparent
! " without and distinction OF nation
j ality. The European neuirals are
struck in their vitals: the, South
American neulrals. as shown by their
| first press comment, are hardly less
, affected through the cutting OFF OIL
their foreign trade Press comment
from South America has indicated
that part of the public opinion there
ravors identical with that OF III" Unit
cd States