Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-20

not yet esta blished that American lives
have been lost in the Arabic tragedy
The two missing Americans may yet
turn up. saved. perhaps, at some iso
lated spot, and the fact of their loss
must be established, as the first prin-
cipal concern of the Washington gov
eminent.
Orders Not Sent Abroad.
Secretary Lansing said today that no
orders have yet been sent to United
States ambassadors or consuls abroad,
but it is not doubted. that they will
forward as soon as possible all the
evidence obtainable as to what hap
pened on the Arabic and In connection
with the disaster. Dependence will be
placed particularly upon the evidence
OF Americans on the Arabic. The pros
pect OF the severance OF diplomatic re-
iauons with Germany again came for
ward, but 1t was understood that II
such grave step should be decided
upon 1t would not be Immediately an
nounced.
Certain arrangements to transfer to
some other neutral the humanitarian
trusts and obligations now upon the
United States in connection with the
war in Europe would first be necessary.
Twenty-eight of the Washington cor
respondents gathered about the Secre-
tary of State this morning, at his audi
ence for them, and from the highly
evident that all of those participating
felt the gravity Of the situation and of
the possibility of impending events. So
far as possible the correspondents con-
hned themselves to the briefest possible
queries. realizing the burden upon the
Secretary's shoulders today anu the
heavy demands upon his time.
Questions to Be Weighed.
At the State. War and Navy building
all officials waited development hourly
without a trace of agitation, but with
evidences Of sober earnestness which
portrayed their concern for a situation
which now admittedly has never been
more grave. Secretary Lansing gave
the correspondents permission to quote
him. responding to their questions in
monosylables. AS the result of his au-
dience with the newspaper men 1t be-
came .evident that while officials here
are keeping their minds open during
the hours which will be required for
assembling the official evidence in re-
gard to the Arabic they will be think
ing about these points:
Whether any Americans have actual
ly been lost and whether the Arabic
actually was torpedoed without warn
ing by the German submarine.
Whether the Arabic. by having been
conveyed, had under international law
partaken of the character of her con-
voy and waived her rights as a nom
combatant merchantmen.
Whether by proceeding to the vi
cinity of the steamship Dunsley, which
had just previously been torpedoed,
the Arabic's commander introduced any
qualifying circumstances by violating
the rule of the British admiralty which
forbids one torpedoed ship to risk it
self by attempting to assist another.
Gunnery Training Charged.
Secretary Lansing's attention was
called to a newspaper statement to the
effect that the crew of the Arabic had
been trained in gunflre, using RATS
with slender masts to represent the
periscopes of submarines rs targets
He said that this matter had not been
brought to his attention, and that con-
sequently he could not discuss its bear
ing.
The question as to convoy which has
been raised is an interesting one. and
Capt Ridley Mclean, judge advocate
general of the navy, speaking unofi-