Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-08-20
Administration Is Astonished.
That No Warning Should Be.
Given by Submarine Before
Attack.
NO C0NTRABANO IN
CARGO OF ARABIC
Officers Refuse to Make Com
ment and viii Wait for Att
Facts Connected With Ac-
ton of Germany

isv HoHHHo iouRnst srrciA4 trssrp ularl
Washington Aug i9.-Newa or The
lprpedolng Of the British steamer
Arabic Of the White Star lire with
Americans on board, came as shock
To officials of The United states gov
eminent who had hoped since the dis
patch ~ The last American note there
would Doc no further aggravaudn of
an already tense situation between
the United States and Germany
Mcagcr Information.
official Information was meagre
ANA Il was only through press dis
patches that II was heard here that
the vessel was torpedocd without
warning While il was recognized
that a canvass of the survivors might
rcvenl mat no American lives were
lost the torpcdoing without warning
OF vessel carrying Americans has in
itself been pronounced by the United
Statos government ats a violation OF
It's rights which il repeated would be
regarded as deliberately unfrendly"
IN The last note 10 Germany which
IL WIS generally accepted was the fin-
M word on the principles Of the guess
ton from the United states. Secretary
Lansing used the following language
ln referring to violations of American
rights In the war zone:
Pointed Sentence OF Note.
Friendship itself prompts It (the
United states government to say to
The imperial government that repe-
ition by the commanders Of German
naval vessels of acts In contravention
lf those rights must be regarded by
The government Of the United states,
when they affect American citizens as
untriendly'
What the course of the United
states would be- no official would pre-
lict because Of the absence Of de-
tailed Information It must be es-
Inhlshed uuthoututively whether any
was given ana whether the
vessel attempted to escape II mol
American lives were lost. it was
thought in most quarters tonight that
drastic steps were improbable, but iuI
ne event II Is found Americans were
drowned rupture in diplomatic rela-
ions was everywhere discussed as
lkeN
Ship Had No Contraband.
The attack on tho Arabic came
Without official intlmatIon from Bor-
la that submarine commanders
would persist in torpedoing ships
without warming and In the face also /
'l constant reiterations In German
quarters here that In the future pas
longer vessels would be given due
The incident therefore
uused widespread surprise especially |
'inCe the ship was bound for the /
United states aud had NO contraband |
Ia some quarters there was a dis /
position tn think the German suhma- /
line commander might have exceeded 4
lis orders or made mistake.
The general immunity which pas
cngcr liners of helliGercnt flags car
wing Americans seemed TO have en-
Dyed In the last few weeks had de-
'clupod feeling Of confidence that \
he German government would avoid |
nay incident that might intensity feel
ug IN the United States and bring the
citations of the two countries nearer
he breaking point Far this reason.
dong with Information as TO exactly
What had occurred when the Arabic
vas attacked the viewpoint OF the
iermun foreign office Is eagerly I
waited
News Stnrtlcs President
President Wilson was startled .by
he news he spent the entire after
loon and evening trying 10 get de-
ailed information Though obviously
Worried We took the position that
Judgment should DE withheld until
'fticiol details were received
Tho president was preparing To 30
ultlng when word of the sinking Of
he steamer reached him tie lmme-
lately abandoned his plans and rec
naned i'm his office the remainder of
hc day and evening receiving reports
5 Fast as they came M
The decision of the United states to
efuse an claims for lie or property
ost aboard ships torpedoed with due
Warming was mace clear today when
I became known that claim in the
aso of John Wall a muletoer, killed
When the Armenian was sunk, would
lot hp taken up hy the state depart
nent The department holds that
here can bee no legal claim In eases
Ike the Armenian where ample warn
ng was given and the ship refused 10
.bey even when subjected to she'll fire