Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-04-20

participation OF this country In the Su-
preme effort to end German submarine
depredations.
To Aid Allies Recruiting.
Another development connected with
the plans of this government to assist
in every possible way the European
nations at war with Germany was the
preparation of a bill to permit them to
recruit their nationals now residing in
the United States.
This permission, which, it is under
stood, has been asked by Great Brit
ain, France, Russia and Italy, is to be
accomplished by an amendment to the
penal laws prohibiting recruiting
among citizens of other countries so
as to exempt the citizens or subjects
of any country engaged in war with a
country with which the United States
is at war.
There is a strong probability Of a
proclamation by President Wilson plac-
ing the country and it's possessions un-
der martial law al a necessary step to-
ward the suppression of attacks on mu-
i1llllOA pidhto anu government PlOpClt
by alien enemies and to make such
outrages punishable by death.
Other developments of the war sit
uation that provoked interest but not
excitement during the week were the
cabled reports. that Germany contem-
plated a peace move, to be initiated by
Sweden, and that the Bulgarian gov
nrppannf hos dooidoH tn hand fho
American minister at Sofia his pass
ports and to recall Mr.. Panaretoff, its
minister at Washington.
Joint Naval Council.
OF all these events the joint naval
council is regarded as the most impor-
tant. Representatives of the British
and French admiralties have been in
Washington for a week or more, but it
was not until several days later that
Secretary Daniels gave his permission
for the publication of their arrival and
the purpose of their visit.
The officials that participated in the
council were the secretary of the navy,
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, Admiral
Benson, the chief of naval operations,
representing this country; Vice Ad-
miral Browning, Captain e. G. Cheese
man, Captain A. Lowndes, Lieutenant
Commander A. r. J. Southley and Cap
tain Guy Gaunt, representing the Brit
ish navy, and Rear Admiral Grasset
and Commander de Blanpre, represent
ing the French admiralty.
No hard and fast plan was agreed
upon as to the nature of joint naval op-
erations between the United States and
the other governments. The confer
ence was devoted mainly to a division
of the work of protecting British and
American territory in the western At
lantic, including the Panama canal
and the West Indies; the seeking out
and destroying of German commerce
raiders which have been operating in
the sea lanes between Europe and the
western hemisphere and the part that
the naval forces of this country are to
play in the determination of subma-
rines operating in the barred zone es-
tablfshed by Germany in British and
French waters.
Await Balfour's Arrival.
1t appears to be the conclusion OF the
naval representatives of the European
countries that the greatest service that
the American navy can render at pres
ent is to relieve French and British
warships of the duty of p~atrolling the
waters of the western Atlantic n in
destroying enemy commerce raiders.
The full details of naval cooperation
will probably not be decided on until
the arrival of the commissions from
Great Britain and France, headed re-
spectively by Arthur j. Balfour, Brit
ish foreign minister, and Rene Viviani,
minister Of justice and former premier
of France, who are expected to reach
Washington within the next ten days.
The government has provided accom-
modations for forty persons, who make
up the personnel of the two commits
sions.
The selection of the American repre-
i%sentatives who are to sit in the neXt
war council to be held at Paris will
probably be announced after the ar
rival of the foreign representatives in
this country, perhaps the latter part of
this week. 1t is the general impression
that Secretary of the Treasury Nc
Adoo will be one of the officials chosen.
The possibility of a proclamation of
martial law throughout the country is
indicated by the difficulties experienced