Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-05-08
WASHINGTON WASHINGTON
AWAITS FULL
PARTICULARS
President and Cabinet Likely
to Consider Lusitania Affair
at Meeting Today.
SENATOR STONE SAYS THE
PEOPLE WERE WARNED
Special By United Press Wire.

Washington, May 8.-Owing to
the Lusitania disaster, Secretary of
War Garrison abandoned the trip on
which he was to have left tonight to
inspect Tennessee and Alabama riv-
ers and harbor improvement work.
He said nobody suggested to him
that the trip be given up. but did
not want to be away when such in
teresting things were happening. The
White House and other government
departments are reticent.
Hint Session of Congress.
Stories that an extra session of
congress was under consideration en-
tirely lacks confirmation. On the
contrary 1t is understood nothing will
be done until the British admiralty
and American diplomatic representa-
tives are in position to learn de-
tails of the disaster.
To Confer With Cabinet.
1t was understood that the Presi-
dent would confer shortly with cabi-
net members, with Chairman Stone,
of the senate foreign relations com
mittee, who arrived in Washington
Friday, and with such other members
of the senate, the house and commits
sion as would be gathered together
On short notice.
Senator Stone expressed himself
Friday night to the effect that, in his
view, there was nothing in the LJsi-
tania disaster to lead the administra-
tion to change it's European war
paliey. In fact. the Gulfifgft disas-
ter was more serious technically
than the Lusifanfa The Lusitania,
being a British ship, was subject to
German attack and Americans %who
sailed on it did so at their own risk
and after full warning. He agreed
they had the right to take the chance
If they chose, but remarked that they
might have found some other way of
making the voyage.
The Gulfiight, on the other hand,
he pointed out, was~an. American yes
sci so that an attack on 1t was
matter of American concern, espe-
cially an view of the fact that Ameri-
can lives were lost
Ambassador Page advised the state
department that he had called on
the Queenstown consulate for full
report and instructed that everything
possible be done to aid American sur.
vfvors of the Lusitania. He said he
had sent Captain w. A Castle and
A. M. Miller, military attaches at en-
bassy, to help.
No cabinet meeting having been
called for this forenoon, the Presi-
dent went golfng at a. m.
The stories which came here concern
Ing the sinking of the vessel were
more or less conflicting. Earlier re-
ports had it that all of the passengers
were saved, and this to some extent
alIayed the anxiety which followed the
news of the sinking of the ship. When
the later reports came in. indicating
that there might be large loss Of life,
indignation rose to fever heat.
President Wilson made little effort
to conceal bis feelings. At night the
president received the following dis
patch.
"Lusitania sank at 2:30 o'clock.
Probably many survivors. Rescue
work proceeding favorably. Shall |
send you list of survivors?"
Evades Secret Service Men.
This dispatch seemed to upset the
president considerably. AS soon as he
read it he put on his hat and walked
out OF the White House without the
knowledge of the secret service men
who are guarding him. The president
walked up Sixteenth street TO Corcoran
street, crossed over to Fifteenth street
and back to the White House. where
he went into his study to await further
information and to turn over In his
mind the message that it is expected
he will send to the German foreign of
fice as soon as all the details of the dis.
aster are known.
Should the reports of loss of life on |
the Lusitania prove true it is probable |
that the president will call the cabinet |
together today to discuss what action !
this government may take.
In reply to the inquiry from Consul |
Frost at Queenstown as to whether he |
should send list of survivors the !
state department instructed him to /
send list of all Americans dead, In |
jured or missing.
That state department officials feared
the sinking of the Lusitania or some /
other large passenger carrying vessel
was indicated few days ago, when
Continued on page 81
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