The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-11
White House Announces That Speech At Philadel- phia Did Not Have Refer ence to Policy in Matter of the Lusitania.
Won Bernstorff Presents Formal Regrets of Ger many Over Loss of Ameri- can Lives State Depart ment Mum.

ident Wilson said to-day that his speech in Philadelphia, last night, was not a declaration of policy in reference to the Lusi- tania disaster; that he was not thinking of any special matter but of the newly naturalized Americans in his audience.
 The President used the ex- pression that he was thinking of the sCain some people were l trying to raise.
 The President said he would make 8 decision on the policy to be followed in the Lusitania case as soon as he had all the elements in mind For the present he had nothing to add. he said, | to his statement of last Saturday night which was that he was consid ering very earnestly but very calmly the right course of action to pursue,' and that he knew the country expected him to fact with deIiberation as well as with fr1nriess. ,'
 The President made it clear that he was expressing personal attitude and not referring to any specific cases. That led to the belief in many quar- lters that the President had not reach | ed a decision in the Lusitania case and was speaking his personal feel ings as to the ideal the United States should have in this situation as well Las other phases of the worldwide war It was taken that he was en- deavoring to explain broadly that the United States should seek to serve the cause of humanity by using its inf1u- ence to secure an adherence to the v1e,1 law, wherever they have ben contra vened. Although the general trend of com ment was one of surprise at the lir1i- tation which the President placed to- day on the interpretation of his speech those who have followed his speeches closely pointed out that MT. Wilson lhas frequently spoken implicitly rath- ] CT than explicitly.
 l While his Philadelphia audience was impressed with. the belief that the IPresident was referring specifically to ithe Lusitania tragedy. the President l indicated by his remarks to-day that he meant his speech to be broader ithan a single incident and to cover the entire subject of foreign relations as we'll as the subject of domestic solidarity with reference to the aliens ,Ewho have become naturalized in l America
 
 I bers began arriving for the first col
 ference with the President since last I Friday. whether the President would ltake up the Lusitania tragedy or wall until further facts had been, gathered was a subject which not even the sec lretaries themselves seemed to know
 Chairman Stone, of the Senate for leign relations committee, discussed 5i the Lusitania disaster with the Pres.
 ident before the cabinet meeting be. gan and said, later:
 T am for peace with honor. I dc mot know what the President plans tc l do about the Lusitania. It is hi iproblem and it is useless for other.
 to attempt to advise him.
 Senator Stone declared he favor i ed passage of the government shil
 purchase bill which failed in the las
 Congress. Such a step, he said
 would provide American ships to car added that he took it for granite
 that the United States would fin means to protect it's own shipping.
 Senator LaFollette was anothe
 caller at the White House today.
 T am for peace" he said. want the United States to take a firr
 stand but I am opposed to war"
 The Philadelphia speech was inter preted by official Washington, never
 theless, as meaning that whateve course is pursued, the. United State probably would endeavor to serve tn
 cause of humanity by appealing t : Germany to end submarine warfar , against unarmed merchant ships car , l rying non-combatants.
 In some quarters the suggestio , was made that the President nigh forego the usual means of diplomat
 correspondence and address a, mess age in person to Emperor William
 It was pointed out by persons hig a in the Presidents confidence that h might first try to prevent a recurrenc
 of such an attack as that made O
 the Lusitania, taking up subsequentl , the question of reparation for tn
 loss of American lives.
 I Germany's disavowal of any inter i, ton to destroy American lives wa 2 looked upon by many officials as sis . nif1cant of Germany's desire to nair s tain friendly relations with the Uni q ed States.
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