The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-08-26
WILSON WILL GIVE
HEARING TO BERLIN
President Wants All Facts in
Arabic Case.
DOUBT As TO CONDITIONS
Germany to Be Given an Opportunity
to ExpIain--AmerIcan Ambassa-
doris at London and Berlin
Asked to Investigate.

Washington, Aug. Unreasonable
doubt as to conditions surrounding the
sinking of the White Star liner Arabic
has decided the RWashington govern
ment to proceed with elaboration in
its purpose to fix responsibility for the
loss of at least two American lives
others.
Therefore Germany will be given an
opportunity to explain this last sea
tragedy and. If possible, to show
whether conditions justified the Ger.
man submarine commander in sinking
the liner in apparent disregard of the
solemn protest of the United States
government against the destruction OF
merchant vessels bearing American
passengers without proper warning
and opportunity for succor.
Lansing Visits Wilson.
President Wilson and Secretary Ian.
sing conferred during the day on the
Arabic situation with the text of the
two messages from Ambassador Page
at London before them, giving details
of the destruction of the ship as far as
they have been gathered from Ameri.
can survivors.
The ambassador and consular Off
cials in England have been instructed
to supplement their reports with all
available information referring upon
the physical results of the tragedy.
The reports will be studied carefully
but in the meantime the German state
ment will be sought.
Inquiry by Gerard.
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin will be
instructed to look to the German gov
eminent for an explanation of the
sinking of the Arabic, or at least for q
statement of the facts so far as they
have been reported to the admiralty
by the submarine commander. That
this might take fortnight is realized
from the fact that the German ad
miralty has heretofore declared that il
could communicate with submarines
on the ocean lanes only with difficulty
and often IL was necessary to await
| their return to home ports.
1t is recalled that so far the state de
partment has been unable to procure
reports from the German foreign office
in the case of the Orduna, shelled more
than a fortnight ago. and the same de
lay has been experienced in the Lee
Must Give Berlin Time.
Notwithstanding the possibility oil
delay. 1t has been decided that in a
matter Of such gravity and Importance
the antilles OF diplomatic intercourse
as well as a sense of Justice, require
that the German government be given
the case before the action to be taken
by the United States is determined
upon.
Some officials thought there were in
constituencies in the statements oil
some OF the survivors as to what &C
tually took place.
They also noted the action of British
news censors in suppressing press dis
patches dealing with details of the
tragedy as an indication that there
might be some condition surrounding
the sinking of the Arabic which might
materially qualify first judgment
passed upon the work of the German
;ubmarins commander.
Official oisp5 .;hes Brief.
At any rate, official dispatches re-
terred only to the casualty list and
threw no light on the features OF the
tragedy. on which the state department
seeks information.
DunsIey Sinking a Factor.
The connection between the Duns-
ley and the Arabic may be Of supreme
importance. officials say. In this con
nection one of the chief legal experts
Of the navy department, who special.
ICES in international Law as applied to
marine matters, said:
The Arabic had a perfect right to
proceed to the relief Of the passengers
and crew OF the DunsIey il the latter
had appealed for help. No attack could
be made on the Arabic without resort
to the doctrine of 'stoppags. visitation
and search for such action. But If the
Dunsley resisted attack before being
torpedoed the commander Of the sub
marine might very well have taken the
view that the Arabic was en- route to
aid in the resistance and thus have
bSay, fr,stFHod Ep torpa1cfr, Lar-