Arizona republican., 1917-02-02
f REPLY SENT
 NJ INDICATION
 ON THE SURF ACE

[Repubican A. p. Leased Wrel
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-What-
 ever course of action President
 Wilson has chosen to meet Ger
 many's declaration of unrestricted
 submarine warfare, is known only
 to three or four members of his
 official family. Neither the cabinet
 as a whole nor the foreign affairs
 committees of congress have been
 taken into his confidence.
 One high official close to the / president declared tonight that no
 communication had been sent to , Berlin or to Count ven Bernstorff,
 who outwardly was expecting a
 severance of diplomatic relations.
 There Was every indication in
 official quarters that a note had
 been determined upon, but the in-
 dications as to whether 1t actually
 had been dispatched were about
 evenly divided, with a few high
 officials as authority that it had
 not and some others who gave in-
 tlmations of belief that it had.
 From under the curtain of official silence, drawn closely over every move today, came various indications taken everywhere as index fingers pointing toward the probable course of the United States.
 It was undisputed that the govern lnent would not permit Germany's an nouncement to stand without chal- lenge.
 But whether President Wilson's an swer will be a solemn warning of a break in diplomatic relations if Ger rnany's campaign of ruthlessness is carried into execution, or actual sev- erance of relations without further Waiting remained undisclosed.
 White House officials and Secretary Lansing followed the same course they have adopted on previous occasions when a communication had been dis Iatched to Berlin and they were wait ing its receipt in the German capital before making any announcement in this country. It was a course of abso- llte sieince, of flat refusal to disclose any information whatever to discuss the subject in any way, or to answer any inquiries upon it.
 All the days developments folloA ct this same course which has become familiar to close observers Of the pro cedure of the administration NASn lt .s dealing with foreign crisis
 Secretary Lansing began by Geny.ul himself to all callers. NotwiIhstandin. 1t was the regular daysfor receiving rel resentattves of foreign governments at the state department, he uecIIned to receive such persons as the British and Japanese ambassadors and tle were turned over to subordinate of- ficials
 It became known then that MT. Lan sing was engaged at work on suu.- thing for the president"
 shortly before neon the secretary went to the White House taking M.th Jim some documents, and, instead af going to the executive offices, went ta the mansion itself where he and the president conferred undlstGT1ad for more than an hour.
 When he left the president. Mir Lansing refused absolutely to discuss the situation or answer any in 4uiIles Then later in the Gay, when he me. newspaper correspondents he salJ
 I have nothing to tell you; ne4tAef will 1 answer any questions"
 He modified his latter statement onlq to say that he had no comuunioat4or throughout the day with the Cerna, ambassador, adding. that there was no prospect of any announcement during the night
 Among all officials capable of know : ng the probable course of the presi- lent, the only point of doubt seemed to be whether a communication to Ger many would carry only a warning, or whether it would consider Germany $ declaration sufficient .n Itself for ac- tlon. All seemed to take it for granted that decision had been determined upon quickly
 II was pointed out that one reason Tor withholding knowledge ot the pies- dents course IS the necessity of com pleting certain arrangements, many ol .. physical character, to prepare the country for eventualities which would be expected to follow a diplomatic break. The safeguarding of Amegican ports, safety of Americans in Germany tle presence of German ships in Amer icaT harbors and many other consider 4tions are among them.
 The last Correspondence with Ger many which demanded the total aban- donment of such submarine warfare as the central powers are about to re- sume, declared that the United States would sever diplomatic relations al together" this is interpreted as leaving
 iContinued on Page Two)