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Show WILSON WANTS TO DECIDE THE WARJUESTIQN Will Ask Congress for Ad-ditional Ad-ditional Authority to Protect Pro-tect Rights of Americans Upon the Seas. WASHINGTON", Feb. 21. The gen-erall' gen-erall' accepted idea that President Wilson Wil-son will address congress again on the German crisis before the end of next week virtually was confirmed today in official quarters. There was no announcement an-nouncement and it was said that the president itfrf was considering his next step, but officials pointed out the necessity ne-cessity of congress making provision for any emergency which might arise after adjournment and explained that the president would go to the capitol not to ask for a declaration of war, but merely for authority to protect American Ameri-can rights. The president, it was reiterated, is just as anxious as any member of the senate or house to avoid war, although determined that the rights of the United Unit-ed States be respected. One of his reasons rea-sons for desiring action by congress now ! instead of risking the necessity tor a special session was said to be a belief that a call for an extra session in an , emergency might result in dangerous excitement. Various problems resulting from the break in diplomatic relations with Germany Ger-many are being cleared up, but it was emphasized at the state department today to-day that the one big issue facing the 1 American government is the continuance continu-ance of Germany's submarine campaign. cam-paign. , It was revealed that on Monday a vigorous demand for the release of "the American prisoners on the prize ship Yarrowdale was forwarded to Berlin, and it is fully expected that the demand de-mand will be complied with. Must Renew Pledges. On the submarine issue, it was stated officially, the only step on1 the part of Germany which will satisfy the American Ameri-can government, will be the renewal of the pledges given after the Sussex was attacked. On the face of reports on the , attitude atti-tude of Germany and Austria-Hungary, most officials think the time rapidly 'is approaching .when diplomatic relations; with the latter country will be broken j and steps taken to protect American merchantmen desiring to pass through the dangerous area. There st.il is a disposition on the part of the state department officials nnt to discuss the Austrian situation. No ground for any hope that the .Vienna, .Vien-na, government 'will repudiate Germany Ger-many 's position is to be found, however. how-ever. So far as can be learned, no reply re-ply to the note from the United States inquiring for a clear statement of Austria Aus-tria 's attitude has beeuf received. A delayed communication from the - German foreign office was delivered to the department today by Dr. Paul Hit-ter, Hit-ter, t iie Siss minister, representing German interests in the United States. It ' was dispatched from Berlin some time previous to the departure of Am-barsador Am-barsador Gerard and other American diplomatic and consular officers from Germany and contained a request for information concerning the welfare and treatment of German officials and nationals na-tionals in the X.'nited States. State department officials said that, inasmuch as developments subsequent to the time the communication was prepared pre-pared already had explained the situation, situa-tion, no reply would be necessary. The note confirmed reports that a general misunderstanding of affairs relating to the treatment ,ot Germans in the United Unit-ed Stares had arisen in Germany, concerning con-cerning which the Berlin authorities were somewhat concerned. Jn connection wi th dispatches from Europe concerning German consular officers of-ficers lately stationed in the United States whom the German government desires to transfer to posts in Central and South America, it was stated at the state department that no applications for safe eonducf, in such cases had been received. It was added that the department de-partment had made no effort to prevent pre-vent the departure of any of the consuls con-suls to any part of the world to which ,their government wished to transfer them and through any American part. |
