The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-08
WILSON FEARS PEOPLE
WILL CRY OUT FOR WAR
CONTINUED FROM FACE ONE

passing through the so-caIi.d war
zone.
At the German Embassy there was no
effort to conceal the satisfaction felt over
reports that German submarine had
succeeded in sinking one of the giant
British liners. The statement was made
that il was to be hoped that the world
would learn its lesson by this occurrence
and not expose itself further to the risks
of which Germany had given official
notice by her warnings to neutraIS &,
keep off British ships in the war zone
a week ago, when the Embassy'S Off
cial advertisement appeared in AmrrCaS
newspapers the expression was used that.
a the suggestion of the German govern
ment, this warning was issued to ease
our consCences." Yesterday the state
ment was made in all quarters rejecting
the German view that all on board the
Lusitania had their warning and that no
one had any right to complain.
Opposed to this is the extreme Amcri-
can view that the sinking Of the I.uSi-
tana was a dastardIy act. wholly unjus-
tifiable as an act OF war. as il has but
little to do with weakening the armed
forces of the enemy. To warn Il man
of intent to murder him. according to
this view. is no justification for the aC-
tual commission of the act
The torpedoing of the GulfiCht the
dropping of bombs on the Gushing. and
the sinking of the Lusitania with its
large number of American passengers is
denounced by thes.- persons as equiva-
lent to acts of war against the United
States, justifying the most extreme
M which
take against another in defense of its
just rights
The natural conservatism which pre-
dominates in official quarters. and fear of
the consequences of the catastrophe lei
to the suggestion being made in admins
tration quarters Of possible eXtcnuating
which might avert tn"
danger of rupture with Germany. 1t
was pointed out that possibly the Lusi- |
tania was destroyed by bombs placed in !
her hold before she sailed-thOugh this F!
suggestion is not seriously put forward |
by many.
The United States government is al
ready on record in the issues involved. by
virtue of its note to Germany regarding
the war zone decree and the operations
in that proclamation.
1t was declared that Germany would |
be held to a strict accountability for the
actions of her naval commanders, and it !
was more than limited that the destruc-
ton of American life and property on !
the high seas by Germany would make |
it difficult to maintain the friendly rela- |
tons existing between the United States |
and Germany.
How the administration can do other |
wise than squarely meet Germany on the |
basis of its assertion of its rights and
intentions as expressed in this note is not |
seen here. Furthermore. the administra-'
ton has made 1t apparent that it holds !
that no American can be deprived of his |
rights by Germany issuing a warning to !
him that he will be in danger of his |
life if he acts in pursuance of these |
rights.
In no quarter was the situation with
which the United States is now. confront
ed viewed with greater concern than
among the foreign embassies and lega-
tons here. The impression has permeat-
ed the entire diplomatic quarter that the
United States only policy in this war
risk OF this government becoming in.
volved in the world struggle. Conse-
1uently. their impression is that the adj
will do nothing in the Lusis /
tania case il possible escape from Wig
orous action can be avoided. In this
connection 1t was pointed out that many
Americans have appeared In the light of
defenders since the war zone
operations began to affect American life
md property, declaring that Americans
had had their warning and should have
stayed at home.