New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-03
Huge American Fleet of Sub
marine Chasers to
Guard Ships
ARMED Neutrality"
Certain to Have Teeth
President to Avoid War"
but Will Take Decisive
Measures
By STEVENSON II. EVANS

w plolNu
there may not be war with Germany,
properly so called, until or unless
Germany declares it, "armed neu-
trality" will have teeth. This is in
dicated by certain dental prepara-
tions in the Navy Department. If the
A Administration gets the authority
Congress has been asked to grant
that is, power to arm merchantmen
and to use "other instrumentalities'
"a blow will be aimed and delivered
against the submarine menace which,
in the opinion of experts in the
American navy, will be most ef-
fective.
1t can now be said upon the au.
thority of one of the Presidents off,
cial advisers that the governments
plan is to patrol lanes through the
barred zones with the largest mos
quito fleet" of submarine chasers
and destroyers that can be organ
lied. The base of this feet may be
at sea or it may be somewhere in
Ireland.
The power to arm the American
ships. even those carrying contra
band and munitions, will be granted
to the President. That much has
been demonstrated by the expressed
sentiment of the Senate and the
House, despite the delay of nearly
week to do what was required in the
name of national defence.
Demands Full Power
But the President insists on the
additional power, conveyed in the
words "other instrumentalities,' to
protect American life and property
upon the sea. His representatives
before Congressional committees,
when questioned as to what use the
Administration intended to make of
the power conveyed in "other instru-
mentaities," said that the navy
would be used and gave details Of
proposed operations of a mosquito
fleet of destroyers and ckasers.
That the President will succeed in
bringing about a state of affairs be-
tween Germany and the United
States which, while hostile, cannot be
described as proper war, and that
there will be no extra session of Con-
gress for two or three months at
least, is the opinion of White House
supporters, confirmed by some of the
coolest heads among the Republican
leaders in both houses Of Congress.
Some of these men deplore what
they hold to be a fact, namely, that
the country itself has not yet been
aroused to the necessity of striking
hard at Germany. They are inclined
TO agree with the President that the
present is not the psychological time
to declare actual war.
Congress TO Go Home
Congress, apparently, will be will
ing to 60 home and wait A ma
iority of its members think that, hav-
ing conferred upon the President
power to wage a sort of defensive
warfare under the name of armed
neutrality, their duty will have been
accomplished.
Meanwhile the fact that the Presl-
dent plans to supplement the arming
of merchantmen with mosquito
fleet had in it some cheer for those
who wanted to address to the I'M
perial German government the only
language it understands. But actual
tiles have not yet superseded debate
and academic discussion.
The armed neutrality bill is not
yet law, although at this writing
midnight Friday the prospects are
good that a measure with teeth in it
will 90 through both houses. If the
Senate acts tonight the Administra-
tion can push the Senate bill through
the House tomorrow.
The President spent the afternoon
with his Cabinet" discussing the gen