The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-05-08
WILSON AWAITS
PUBLIC OPINION

w lLDO4N NV hl ~
PUBLIC OPINION
Continued From Page OneJ
Chairman stone Of the SENATE for
elgu relations committee made this
stutemrut
The tragedy Is. OF COURSE. profound
ly regretted II the reports ID, to the
loss Of life are true. the symputhic~
of the civilized world will be deeply
stirred But for us II srcms TO me
that good sense dictates that We keep
our heads until we get our bearings.
1t Is Il bad time to get ratified aud act
impuIsiycly bout rock the boat
Without expressing AN opinion us
TO our relations tO this event on It's
To Uur duty m the premises. there are
some facts we cannot overlook and
ARE bound 10 consider We cannot over
IUuh the fact that the lu,Imula was
a British ship flying the British flag.
aud subject Ht any tImr 10 be- put into
the actual naval service NJ the govern
mrul Indeed 1t is said that ut the
time She was attacked she wa, carry
Ing military n~rryi~t, lu engage for
service iu the British army
True there were american citizens
aboard but 1t must mot De- forgotten
that they went aboard % brlIigrrrnt
ship with full knowledge NJ the risk
aud after official warning by the Gpr
man government When aboard "a
British vessel they were ON British
soil Was mot their position ,ubstun
italy equivalent to being within the
walls of fortified dlyt AZ Amrri
can citizens stay within city brscigcd
or threatened aud the enemy attacks
whut should our government do n our
citizen, should ho uJurrdt
u express uU opinion ul this time
1 nm merely suggesting rra~uA why
We should maintain our equilibrium
aud not rock the boat until we know
what we are about
Aside from the possible loss of
American lives, LET us ask ourselves
Just where We come IN. At the present
moment and with the light now before
me ! confess that 1t appear, 10 me
thut, from our own standpoint u.s. a
neutral nntluu. the Guflight case pre-
scnts more delicate aud serious com
pllcatlOn than the case Of the Lust
tauiH
New In Warfare.
Senator Lodge, ranking Republican
member Of the foreign relations com
mittcc, said he was not prepared &,
discuss the sinking of the Lusitauia
The sinking of passenger ship even
of a bclligcrcut without giving passeu
gers an opportunity 10 leave. the sen
ntor thought IL new thing In warfare
Among ,cuutOrs ut the capital there
was II genera feeling n alarm, but all
retrained from entering into public dis
rusSion white awaiting developments
The idrn prevailed that luas Of Ameri
can lives aud the munnpr in which the
Luslluuiu was sunk would arouse pub
"v opinion tremendously
N'''''"Il bryan reached his office
early aud Immediately went into con
ference with Counselor Robert Lansing
auu AN'l7'Nhl secretary Phillips The
consular bureau WsS flooded with In
lu'IieS lI"m RELATIVES ot American
~ ln' "iIl.t OF 'hlet CLERK Ben ia
y 'i'e names "i American saved were
ne"le '"lhpIru ana dispatches from
AiuDhN'"loi tnEr ANA the American
'"usul"l't were gwen ON.
'ill'lhlS showed 10y their demranol
lIl'l realized ihey were facing II sit
u"'l'h traughl win many possibilities
Out were sl'ln their Immediate at
i'hlloh TO using every available agen
'y 10 ger IH'lS.
conferences Everywhere.
secretary Garrison conferred with
MS assistants Hhu Secretary Daniels
'"hSulled Ms aides Everywhere th,
attitude ot President Wilson was th,
SnhJe't "l grave consideration. Nee
reuiry Garrison cancelled arrange
mentS Tor week S tour NJ river and
hhrh"r improvements IN the south oI
hls own lolltloh, he Salu.
Most "IIlrlhIs seemed to agrre thai
u might hr several DAYS before the
policy "t the United States could b,
formulated because of the scarcity o
Information Of AN official character IT,
To The circumstances under which th,
Lusltanla was sunk During that tim,
II was hoped the opinion ot the peo
pile VI the lnlted States would crystal
lac ANA nid the administration h
reaching decision
Secretary Bryan and some othcI
cabinet officers who had planned
week end trip down the Potomac can
celled their arrangements. Nome o
the secretaries had received amy uo
tlce Of a special cabinet meeting ant
II was thought none would be- helt
before the regular one Tuesday.
Foreign embassies and legation
were bp.sttly lutprpstpd iu thp praut gn,