The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-03-02
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-"Troubles come in COM
panies to the United States" said
high official of government day or
TWO ago, and then he was asked, "Was
ever an administration so beset with
trials?"
Things have been coming pretty fast
here in recent days. The officials in
washington took and tabulated the
happenings. big and little. as they
came. The list was long and each
Item on 1t was enough In itself to
cause apprehension. First in order,
and In Importance, of course, was the
"erman pronouncement of Intention to
carry on submarine warfare without
regard to flags or nations. Then came
the presidents act of breaking dip
iomatic relations with the German en-
pire.
From this point 1t became a case of
waiting and 1t may be said that the
watchfulness of the waiting was ac-
centuated to the strength of forty
times that In evidence when the Mex
lean cloud Of trouble first appeared
on the southern horizon.
List Of Our TroubIea
Here Is list Of the things as they
happened almost day by day:
Germany renewed Its submarine nc
tivifes, sinking the passenger ship
California and many merchant vessels
carrying neutral flags.
Then came the announced intention
OF the German government to keep in
custody II American sailors who had
been taken by commerce raiders,
linen to cause keen anxiety and ap-
prehension to the administration, came
the word that our ambassador to Ber-
lin, James w. Geraul. would not be
given his passports until certain prom
ises had been made by the United
States. For day or two 1t appeared
as If this treatment of the ambassador
would bring things to an issue at
once.
Coincident with these other things
was the worry caused by the reten-
ton In American harbors of American
steamships which had every right un-
der international law to sail the seas,
but which In an unarmed condition
and without direct. approval of the
government were disinclined to snil,
+ Then came reports from all over the
country that the holding up of our
ships was causing freight congestion
and that the people were unable to
get their goods to legitimate markets.
The Peace Propaganda.
Then along came note. supposedly
from Germany, which intimated that
the emperor's government was willing
to reopen negotiations with this coun-
try with the view to avoiding war, but
coupled with the refusal to consider
in the debate any modification of the
submarine order.
Then seemingly 1t was proved that
this note did not come from the Ger
man government, but expressed the
thoughts Of one or two active German
sympathlZers In this country who
were in sympathetic coalition with
some peace-at-any- price persons who
seemingly were willing to hamper the
American administration in its efforts
to do its duty not only by peace but
by the United States.
Then Carranza, the Mexican, fired a
shot. In truth II was only verbal
shot, but 1t was intended to hit the
United States and to injure 1t in its
foreign relations.
On the top of this came the news
Of an attempted revolution in Cuba, a
country over which America exercises
a sort Of foster fatherhood.
Add to this list half dozen other
things, and one can readily understand
reasons for the worry and anxiety of
official Washington.
There have been two camps Of opin-
ion in this city ever since troubles
threatened. There were a few men
who wanted almost anything done
rather than that war should come, and
there were few men who believed
that already the provocation was SO
great that the country could not longer
withhold a declaration of hostilities
without losing its standing as a coun-
try insistent on its honor.
The president of the United States
during all the troublous times has been
literally pelted with a hail of com.
munications from all over the United
States.
1t makes no difference what a mans
partisan feelings are or what his views
are concerning peace or war when II
comes to a matter Of sympathy with
the administration which has been
under a crossfire for weeks. Mr.. VIII.
son has been bombarded with advice
and with entreaties until he ought tc
be able to qualify as veteran of the
firing line.
Red Cross Well Prepared.
The American National Red
Cross Is moving into Its new and
beautiful building situated between Co
lOnial hall Of the Daughters Of thf