The Washington times., 1917-02-19

coast OF Brazil and the coast of
VenemeIa
There is no doubt that officials here
are worried over the Mexican situa-
tion. TotEhat extent the disclosures
OF German activities below the Rio
Grande are responsible for the hesita-
tion of the Administration in dealing
with German can only be surmised.
Remarkable Situation.
Certainly this hesitation has re-
suited in a remarkable situation. Last
week. Administration officials were
encouraging in every possible way
the idea that the President would go
before Congress this week to ask au-
thority to use the naval ana military
forces of the United States to protect
American shipping in the German
war zone.
Even today members of Congress
were confidently expecting such n de-
Nelopment within the next twenty
four or forty-eight hours.
Yet in the midst of this the word
is passed out in Administration circles
that the situation looks improved
and that there is no certainty that
the President will address Congress.
No Official Reason.
Whether this sudden change reflects
the views of the President can only be
surmised. Certainly no official rea-
son exists. as far as could he ascer-
tanned today, for the idea that Ger
many is not going to sink American
ships that enter the war zone. as she
promised to do.
While it was denied at the State De-
partment today that this Government
has received any warning from Ger
many that that nation will regard as
an hostile ace the arming of American
ships, it was evident that the State
Department does not share any feel
ings Of optimism.
Situation Unchanged.
Asked for a statement as to whether
the outlook for averting hostiIities
seemed any brighter. high official of
the State Department replied with
considerable emphasis:
THE situation is absolutely un-
changed"
II is suspected in many quarters
that the President may be holding up
his appearance before Congress be-
cause of the steady growth of pacifist
strength in the legislative body, feel |
ing that in the absence of any covert
act" on the part of Germany, Con |
Eress might not be willing to give
him the authority he needs to protect |
American shipping.
Flood of TeIegrams.
To be sure, kilograms are pouring |
into the White House daily from all
parts of the country urging him to |
do something that will relieve Ameri- |
can commerce from the humiliating |
position 1t is now in.
All parts of the country are begin |
ming to cry out against the tie-up Of
American shipping. In some quart |
ers here, it is thought, the PreSident |
may be waiting for these protests |
10 still the pacifists in Congress.
In the meantime the effect abroad |
of the pacifist utterances in Congress |
IS becoming daily more evident.
Austria's Hopes. Il
Press dispatches printed this morn
ing from Vienna, for example. lay
stress on the hope among officials |
of Austria that the American Con-
gress will tie the Presidents hands |
so that he cannot act.
State Department officials today |
frankly admitted their concern over
this impression.
The Austrian embassy, in the alb
eence OF any severance OF diplomatic
relations between the two countries, !
is being given unrestricted privileges
to communicate in code with the Aus |
trian government.
Taken for Granted.
It is taken for granted that Count
Tarnowski has not failed to send TO
his government copious extracts from |
the pro-German speeches of Congress
men Mann and Moore, and the pacifist |
utterances of Senator William Joel |
Stone, chairman of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee.
If the President is to seek any |
authority from Congress to protect
American shipping, he has but a |
week to act in before adjournment. |
Apparently many OF his advisers feel |
that he could not get such authority |
1 nthe absehce Of an covert act"
Admit Possibility.
State Department officials admit
the possibility that Germany. thor
oughly cognizant of the sentiment IN
Congress, means to withhold the |
covert act" until Congress has sd |
3ourned.
In the meantime the goading tao |
tics of the German government still |
30 on. Yesterday the State Depart |
ment received through the Spanish |
government word that Germany
would release shortly" the Yarrow-
dale prisoners and other Americans |
Btill detained in Germany.
When she will do this was left very |
vague and indefinite in the dispatch |
from Spain. Meanwhile, it was indi- |
Gated, the demand for the release of |
the Americans has gone forward.