River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-08-26
WILSON HOLDS MIND OPEN ON
ARABIC DISASTER UNTIL ALL
FACTS POSSIBLY OBTAIN
ABLE ARE SECURED.
GERARD NOT INSTRUCTED
TO ASK GERMAN REPORT
If Facts Show That Arabic Tragedy
Was Deliberate Repetition of Lusi-
tania Incident Diplomatic ReIa-
tons Will Be Severed Very
Suddenly, Is Prediction.

Washington, Aug. 24-President
Wilson will hold his mind open on the
Arabic disaster until all facts possibly
obtainable are secured from Great
Britain and from Germany. All pos
sible expedition will be employed.
however, in completing the evidence,
and, if the governments conclusion is
that Germany has committed a flag
rant violation of the rights of the
United States, passports will be hand
ed Ambassador Won Bernstorff within
"a hours after this conclusion is
reached.
Wilson's Resolution Is Stern.
The presidents unalterable deter
mination is to wait only SO long as
there is room for reasonable doubt as
to the character of the German act,
and then if the facts are as they now
seem to be, to sever diplomatic rela-
tons with Germany with suddenness
that will leave no room for discussion
from any quarter.
The foregoing statements are made
upon authority absolutely unimpeach-
able. AS clearly as if the president
himself had spoken, they sweep away
every Vestige of doubt as to the stern
resolution which was in Mr.. Wilson's
mind when he sent the note to Ger
many informing that government that
the United States would neglect no
word or act in holding her to "strict
accountability for further wantonness
in numbering American citizens.
Report from Page Received.
Ambassador Pages report was filed
at London several days ago. The first
section OF it has been received at the
state department. All of it probably
will be before the president shortly.
1t is assumed that unless Germany
wishes to make an outright issue with
the United States, some explanation
will be volunteered. Acting with that
thought, Ambassador Gerard at Berlin
was instructed to report whether he
had received report from the Ger
man government on the sinking of
the Arabic He was not, however, in
structed to ask for one.
It may be possible within a short
time to send final instructions to Am
bassador Gerard as to the course he is
to pursue in relation to the Berlin
foreign office. If, finally, the facts
show that the Arabic accident was
deliberate repetition of the Lusitania
incident, Ambassador Won Bernstorff's
aIoI hi no no hi
before the end of the week.
Tumuty Issues Statement.
To emphasize the determination of
the President to secure all possible in
formation before closing his mind as
to the significance of the Arabic in
cident, Secretary Tumulty gave out
this statement:
1.-THE secretary to the President, af-
ter a conference with the President,
made the following statement:
with reference to the sinking of
the Arabic, as soon as all Of the facts
are ascertained, our course of action
will be determined"
The President believes that for the
United States to pass over an insult
such as the deliberate disregard Of the
warning given to the last note to Ger
many, would make it impossible for
this nation to hold up it's head, fgura-
lively speaking, in the family Of ma
tiOns.
Time to Test Country's Courage.
The President believes that if Ger
many deliberately torpedoed the Ara
bic without warning, the time has ar
rived when the courage of this coun-
try should be tested.
The President himself has no doubt
as to the manner in which the country
will face, this crisis. His estimate Of
the American character, if it needed
confirmation, has been amply verified
by the messages and reports which
have poured in upon him directly and
indirectly since the news of the Arabic
disaster was cabled to the United
States The unanimous opinion is that
the Presidents extreme patience in
awaiting complete evidence is admir-
able and that his resolve to meet the
| emergency without compromise is the
only resolve consistent with the honor
and dignity Of the Union.
Germany Must Act First.
AS for the questions of war and war
| preparedness, the President has
threshed them out as definitely as
could be done in advance of the actual
assembling of Congress. If war is de-
clared, it will be for Germany to de-
clare it. The United States, for the
time being, will rest content with the
brusque severance of all relations with
the kaiser's government. The admin
istration will seek to quell those mem
bers of Congress who may demand
that this country take the initiative in