by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

“Kaiser Depressed and Seeking Way to Secure Peace” offered readers a glimmer of hope that Germany might seek a separate peace and hopefully bring the war to an end:

The Zurich correspondent of the France De Maines wired today that the kaiser is depressed as a result of the war situation, and that he recently told members of his suite that Germany must seek a way to conclude peace.

The dispatch declared the kaiser expressed himself as still hopeful of being able to approach Russia through a small pro-German coterie at the Russian court.

The correspondent says Germany would abandon Austria if by doing so she could make a satisfactory peace for herself.

In the Oregon Statesman was this short, ominous note:

Neutral Ships Safe but British Will Be Sent to the Bottom

London, Feb. 11. – A dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph company from Copenhagen says:

“The New Hamburger Zeitung in an officially inspired article says the German admiralty has issued orders that neutral ships shall not be interfered with if they are not suspected of carrying contraband, but that every British ship, whether a war vessel or a merchantman, will be unconditionally sent to the bottom of the sea.”