Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-05-11
Wilson Spends Quiet Day Studying
Every Aspect of Luistania
Case. 's
MANY TELEGRAMS RECEIVED
Both President and Bryan Are Urg-
ed to Adopt Severe
Measures.

What action the United States gov
eminent will take as a result of the
sinking of the British liner Lusi-
tania with a loss of more than
hundred American lives is today an
undetermined question.
President Wilson during the last
twenty-four hours has been study
ing every aspect Of the case. Until
all the official reports are received
from Ambassadors Gerard and Page
at Berlin and London respectively it
is not expected any action will be
taken.
The president spent quiet day
yesterday apart from his official fam
ily-and for the most part alone. He
went to church in the forenoon and
! took ride after luncheon. Most
of the time he seemed preoccupied
and talked little to his companions.
He sat in his study, it was said, in
deep thought, undisturbed for hours.
Secretary and Mrs. McAdoo dined
with him last night, but it was I'M
derstood no reference was made to
the war situation.
When the president returned to
his desk last night he found the pile
of kilograms had increased. They
had been coming in scores from all
parts of the country. Many urged
the adoption of severe measures. Sec
rotary Bryan, who spent the day at
home, also received many messages.
bearing on the situation similar to
those that came to the White house.
The president plans to 60 to Phil
adelphia this afternoon to deliver
there in the evening speech which
observers generally believe will give
expression to his own feeling on the
situation produced by the sinking of
the Lusitania. He is to address a
meeting of 1000 naturalized Ameri-,
cans, arranged for several weeks
ago by the bureau Of naturalization
of the department Of commerce, to
launch a systematic campaign for
educating new citizens to right un-
Outstanding of their duties.
Secretary Tumulty went to Phila-
delphia to make arrangements for
the trip. Mr.. Wilson will return
early tomorrow. A few hours later
the regular meeting Of the cabinet
will take place, when it is generally
expected he will lay before his ad-
visers the policy he has in mind and
ask their counsel.
On the questions of law involved
in the sinking of the Lusitania, the
Washington government long ago
stated it's position to Germany. Law
officers of the government were
unanimous in their opinion, shared
by the president, that there is no
warrant under law or reason for the
destruction of an unarmed merchant
ship, even of an enemy, without
warning the passengers at the time
the ship is encountered, and trans
ferring noncombatants to place OF
safety.
The official statement from Berlin
which came by wireless admitting
that a German submarine had sunk
the Lusitania and pointing out that
the big liner twas naturally armed
with guns" was widely commented
on by officials. On the highest au-
thority it was stated that as early as
last September when Count Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassador,
called attention to the arrival in
American ports of British liners, {
among them the Adriatic with guns ]
aboard, the question was taken up
~ the state department.
It was ruled by the department {
hat a merchant vessel could not be
,lassed as a warship If she carried I
guns not larger than six inch cali {
IRE for defensive purposes. but new t
,rtheless informal negotiations were I
begun with Great Brit I
i'm and an understanding was Ic
cached whereby no British vessel t
Tearing from American ports would e
,e armed 1t is the duty OF the port n
authorities in New York each time v
hip asks for clearance to see that C
10 guns are mounted or unmounted Ii
r carried on belligerent vessels. f
dudley Field Malone, collector of n
he port of New York, however, has p
cen asked by the Washington gov 7
rnment as to whether the Lusitania Il
arried any armament and has re- il
orted that she carried out the terms a
f the understanding as originally. .