The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-22
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house would be very glad to hear
that the Arabic affair was not "delib-
erately unfriendly"-that the q boat
commander at least thought the liner
was under convoy or was trying TO
ram him or escape. Such explanation,
it was thought, with proper express
sions of regret and offers Of repara-
ton. might pass the matter; for 1t was
known positively that the president
wants no diplomatic break. much less
war, and believes the country agreed
with him in this.
The question was raised, hoWeVer-
Would the German government De
equally Glad to avoid trouble with the
United States?
There were a good many officials
who thought not. They expressed the
opinion that the torpedoing OF the
Arabic was deliberate first degree
attack-an answer to the latest Amer
lean note-an Intentionally "unfr1end-
ly, act, which Berlin would make no
attempt to explain.
IBy Carl w. Ackerman. United
Press Staff Correspondent
TCopyright 1915 by The United PressI
copyrighted in Great Britainl
BERLIN lvia The Hague.) Aug. ~.
So doubt il q German submarine
sank the Arabic without warning.
German submarines will sink no
ships without warning. Why does
America always seek the bad view
point? Why does she not think some
thing good of GERMANY
A very high official of the German
government made this declaration to
me tonight when questioned about
press reports regarding the torpedo
ing Of the White Star liner. This Off
cial declared he could not believe
that any American lives had been lost
through the sinking of the Arabic.
He said that the admiralty has not
vet received reports from the sub
marine and that he hoped America
would not Judge before every fact
had been collected. including the
statements OF the German submarine
commander.
Press reports received here are
very conflicting. One report said the
Arabic struck a mine. Others re-
port the feeling in America very bit
ter, declaring that the ship was not
warned.
These conflicting reports. this Ger
man official said, furnished the best
reason why America and Germany
should calmly await the facts.
Ambassador Gerard Is without ofn-
ciaI information of the torpedoing OF
the Arabic. He conferred with For
eign Secretary Won Jagow this att
ernoon. siRi
Another cable dispatch to the Unit
ed Press from Carl W. Alderman. It's
staff correspondent at Berlin. was re-
eeiyed several hours before the above
cable-but plainly was filed at Berlin
after the cabled interview with
German official was dispatched. This
cable, believed to have been Med At
Berlin some time today. said that the
submarine commanders report nad
been received and added that Berlin
had heard that four Americans lost
their lives. It follows:
BERLIN (via The Hague) Aug. Il.
The German admiralty tonight re-
ceiyed an official report from the
commander OF the submarine tnas
torpedoed the Arabic. The admiralty
permitted this fact to become known.
but the character of the report was
a closely guarded secret. Neither AZ
miralty officials nor persons connect
ed with the foreign office had the
slightest comment. to make.
The first reports received here said
that all the passengers and members
of the crew had been saved. Inis
news brought widespread rejoicing IN
Berlin, but shortly afterward, WORD
was received that four Americans had
lost their lives, causing deep concern.
The Berlin newspapers almost with
out exception, have refrained from
comment. Their only advice to their
readers is to accept the English re-
ports of the sinking Of the liner with
the greatest caution, pending the