The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-02-10
SHIFTS ISSUE
TO GERMANY
PRESIDENT DECIDES ON COURSE
If USE OF FORCE IS COM
PEELED.
Congress Not TO BE Asked For De.
claration OF HOstilities, But For
Power to "Use Any Means
Deemed Necessary to Pro-
tect American Sea.
men and People,


course to be taken by the United
States If Germany compels the use of
force to safeguard American lives and
rights has been determined.
1t was learned authoritatively after
today's cabinet meeting that in the
event President Wilson goes before
Congress again 1t will not be to ask
for declaration of war but to follow
literally the words Of the address II
which he announced the break of di.
plomatic relations and request au-
thority Ito use means deemed ne
cessary to protect American seamen
and people,
The President, it was stated, is as
anxious as ever to avoid war witt
Germany, but also is as determined
as ever that American citizens and
ships shall be free to travel the high
seas unmolested. His next step ii
taken, will be to enforce that right
and even then the issue of war or
peace will be with Germany. An,
hostile action will have to come in tn
form of an interference with al
American right.
Details of the governments plans
are not discussed. 1t is known, how
ever, that conveys and arming of mer-
chant ships are being considered. No
new developments came today to in
dictate that the overt act by Germany
regarded as inevitable was nearer at
hand Fewer reports of ships sunk
came in, and none told officially CT
the loss of an American life. Further
information received about George
Washington, the negro fireman, lost
on the Turino, indicated that he pro
badly was British subject
Cabinet Members Attend Council
The cabinet met today with ali
members present except Secretary
McAdoO. Just before the meeting the
majority of the members attended a
session of the Council for National
Defense, called at the war department
to discuss mobilization of the nation
resources as result of many offers
from manufacturing and other com
panies to place themselves at the dis
posal of the government in the event
of troubles
Practically every member took to
the cabinet information about the &C.
tivities of his department in connec-
ton with the general precautions be-.
ing taken.
Questions discussed included pro-
posed emergency legislation, steps for
protecting property, mail problems
precipitated by the failure of ships to
sail from American ports for Europe,
economic issues, and the army and
navy preparations.
After the meeting it was authorize
lively stated that nothing had YET
happened to change the course pur~
posed by the government since the
break in relations with Germans. The
cumulative effects of reports of YES
sells sunk by German submarines col
lected by the State Department, how
ever, has been to make officials GER
tain that Germany is indeed proceed.
ing with her proclaimed policy OF
ruthlessness.
Ship Question Considered
The effect of the, tying-up of ships
in American harbors because of fea,
that they will be sunk if they pass
through the war zone is one of the
questions being given careful consid-
Grafton. So far as could be learned
today there have been no reports t.
the government of serious conse-
quences to industry but such reports
are expected, and the enforced idle
ness of the merchant feet is a subject
of growing evaporation.
Some resentment was expressed in
administration quarters today over
what was construed as an implica-