The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-05-21

the steamer, ana she nSJeu SO DauiS
that the crew could work only the
boats on one side Of the ship.
Another factor was the extreme con-
fidence Of the passengers themselves
in the infaIIibility Of the watertight
compartments, According to a stew
ard, they would not believe, even after
the second torpedo struck, that the
ship would go down, and realized
their terrible position too late Then
it was that many Jumped into the sea
a few to be picked up, the great ma
jority to perish.
Others, including many Of the first
class passengers, were in the cabin
at the time, and went down with the
ship.
The Lusitania was not in the Brit,
ish navy list for April among the mer-
chant vessels commissioned as naval
auxiliary craft, and the officials Of the
Cunard Company deny that she ever
was used for that purpose.
An Attitude of CaImness.
Washington.-Every expression that
comes from governmental sources
touching the sinking of the Lusitania,
in which a hundred or more Of Ameri-
can citizens persisted, counsels the
people to maintain an attitude Of calm,
ness, with tacit assurances being
given that full PREPARATION win be ex-
acted. There is no apparent POSSIBLE
ity of the incident sweying the gov.
eminent from its position, so consist
emily maintained throughout the war,
and nowhere is the spirit of GOODNESS
more noticeable than in the circles Of
the administration.
White House Statement.
After a conference with the presi-
dent at the White House, Secretary
Tumulty said
"Of course the president feels the
distress and the gravity of the situa-
ton to the utmost and is considering
very earnestly but very calmly the
right course of action to pursue. He
knows that the people Of the country
wish and expect him to act with de-
liberation as well as with firmness."
Germany's Lusitania Statement.
Berlin-The following Official COM
munication was issued Sunday:
"The Cunard liner Lusitania was
yesterday torpedoed by a German sub
marine and sank.
"The Lusitania was naturally arm
ed with guns, as were recently most of
the English mercantile steamers.
Moreover, as is well known here, she
had large quantities Of war materials
in her cargo.
Her owners knew to what danger
the passengers were exposed. They
alone bear all the responsibility for
what has happened.
Germany, on her part, left nothing
undone to repeatedly and strongly
warn them. The imperial ambassador
in Washington even went SO far as to
make public warnings SO as to draw
attention to this danger. The English
press sneerad then at the warning and
relied on the protection Of the British
fleet to safeguard Atlantic traffic"
London.-The Cunard liner Lust
tania, which sailed out of New York
last Saturday with more than 1000
souls aboard, lies at the bottom of the
ocean off the Irish coast. She was
sunk Friday by a German submarine
which sent two torpedoes crashing
into her side while the passengers,
seemingly confident that the great
swift vessel could elude the German
underwater craft, were having lunch
con.
Inc LuSltanla was steaming along
about ten miles off Old Head Kinsale
on the last leg of her voyage to Liver
pool, when about 2 O'clock in the aft
ernoon a submarine appeared sudden
ly and, so far as all reports go, fired
two torpedoes at the steamer. One
struck her near the bows and the
other in the engine room. The power
full agents of destruction tore through
the vessels side, causing terrific ex-
plosions.
Boats which were already swung out
on the davits were dropped overheard
and were speedily filled with passen-
gers who had been appalled, by the at
tack. A wireless call for help was
sent out and Immediately rescue boats
of all kinds were sent out, both from
the neighboring points along the coast
and Queenstown
But within fifteen minutes, as one
survivor estimated, and certainly
within half an hour, the Lusltania had
disappeared