Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-02-07
May YET DECIDE
TO AVERT WAR
Little Hope, However, That Ger
many Will Change Policy
PRESIDENT WILSON HOPEFUL

Waiting For covert Act" to Precipi-
tate HostiIities-Lack of Details
Concerning Killing of American by
U-Boat SheIs-Leading Industries
Tender Services to Government If
They Are Misunderstanding Naval
Construction-War Will Result In
Censorship LegisIation--NoIu nteer
Army of Half Million Men May
Be Called Out
Washington, Feb. Clearing that
war with Germany cannot be averted,
administration officials are directing
all kinds of military and naval meas
ures of preparedness SO as to be pre-
pared for every possible emergency.
President Wilson and some of his
advisers are still hoping that Ger
many, even at the eleventh hour,
might decide tc change her policy and
thus avert the threatened clash.
All the dispatches from Berlin,
however, tend to dissipate this hope.
All the news was to the effect that
there would be no turning back on
the part of the kaiser's government,
and that Germany was determined to
carry out her submarine policy, no
matter what action the United States
saw fit to take.
The position Of the United States,
therefore, is that the administration
officials are waiting. for the overt
act'' which will start active hostill-
ties, and in the meantime are making
all possible preparations for whatever
may come afterwards.
American Sailor Killed
Something dangerously near the
covert act'' came in the report thai an
American sailor on the British steam
er Eavestone had been killed when
German submarine shelled the crew
in the boats in which they were es-
Gaping from the vessel.
No official report from the United
States consul at the port where the
crew were landed has arrived, and
therefore the administration officials
could not determine just how serious
the case might turn out.
If the boats were wantonly shelled
after the steamer had been abandoned,
the act would be a clear violation OF
the principles for which the United
States has commended.
Whether the vessel had been
warned or not, or even had the YES
sci attempted to escape, the she'll
ing Of the crew in the boats after
wards would be a violation Of inter-
national law as upheld by President
Wilson and Secretary Lansing. A
submarine is within it's rights in
Smelling a vessel attempting to escape,
but after the vessel stops and sur
renders she regains all her former
immunity and her crew are entitled
to an opportunity to escape in safety.
However, the attitude of President
Wilson is said to be that if a decla-
ration of hostilities must come it is
better that it should be for some
covert act'' which will be so fragrant
in it's lawlessness that there will be
no chance for criticism for over-hasty
action.
War Preparations
In the meantime preparations are
being made to provide for all con-
tingencies.
Various bureaus of both the war
and navy departments are laying plans
CIo
gency come. Further messages from
individuals and corporations Offering
their services continue to flow into the
departments.
Secretary Baker said that a gener-
GUS response to the nations needs
was coming from the business and
personnel of the country"
The navy department issued a list
of prompt offers reaching Secretary
Daniels on which appeared the names
of several Of the largest steel, ship
building, electrical, engineering and
rubber concerns in the country, as
we'll as railroads.
Ten members of the Volunteer
Aerial Coast Patrol have asked to
take advanced course OF training IN
naval aeronautics under tie navy de-
partment. They are ready to pur-
chase their own machines and to re-
port anywhere for training.
Work on WarsFips
In an effort TO speed up naval con-
struction, a decision must first pc
reached as to what type of vessels is