The Sentinel=record., 1915-05-09
Fact Revealed That German Embassy's s Warning Had Never Been Officially Communicated to the State
 Department.
President Wilson Keeps to Himself and Has Held No Conferences With Members of the Cabinet or Congress--,The Lusitania Carried No Guns Either Mount
 ed or UnmOunted.

1 HtN DC 'N lNat the presence of con tral aud-even arms and ammunition
 according to the rules of interna-
 tional law, including the declaration os London, which Germany has up.
 held cannot warrant the sinking of a
 .nerchantman without the previous exercise of the right of visit and search md removal of non-combat ants to place of safety.
 EThe government stated this in it's
 A { note to Germany and at the same
 time issued a warning that the im- perial goyeWment would be "held to
 a st"ict accountability" by the United
 States for any loss of American yes ses or lives.
 The decision which the president and his advisers must reach. it was admitted in all quarters, is momen. ;1us one Officials pointed out that the United s ties faced a grave and serious problem of lasting impor tance as all the -ueutrals and bellieerents would wait with acute expectancy for the course which the United States would pur sue 10 preserve the rules of interna- tioual law particularly the rights of neutrals with respect to inc safety of non-combatants on merchant ships at sea
 The suggestion that the warnnls l by the German embassy in newspapor advertisements should be sufficient 10 deter Americans from travelling aboard ships flying the British flag was widely commented upon among diplomatic officials Secretary Bryan revealed that the embassy's warning had never been officially communi- cated to the state department. Among few dinlomatists there was a tendency 10 criticise Americans for minimizing those warnings. but off. cials pointed out that it was never conceived that the German subma- r'ue campaign would be extended to passenger liners which usually car ried scores Of neutrals, without spe-
 cific warning that sucn a vessel would be attacked
 With respect to the reports that the state department had discouraged the travel of Americans to Europe, Secretary Bryan said
 We have discouraged, ever since the beginning of the war, the going abroad of any natraljzed Americans, and have declined to give passports 10 Americans who wanted to go abroad for yleasure, but hayve give them to
 those going on business"
 In diplomatic quarters in Washing ton the incident continued the great est ensataion of the war. Ambassa. dors and ministers were intensely in- terested in what the policy of the American government would be.
 Count Von Bernstorff, the German ambassador was still away and no comment was made at the German embassy, but among German officials and diplomatists friendly to the Ger manic allies there was retraced the argument which Germany has insist ed upon as a justification for subma- rlne warfare on merchant ships. Ii was reiterated that England by pre- venting foodstuffs from reaching the civilian population of Germany had threatened her non-combatants with starvation. In the face of such an act, they declared. Germany mac, whatever reprisals were possible. however severe. The proclamation by the German admiralty of a war zone around the British Isles and the warn ings were held to have been suffic tent warning to Americans not to hazard their lives on bellgerent yes. sels. The presence on the Lusitania of 42.000 cases of cartridges was pointed to as a potent argument for the vessels destruction.
 No comment was made on the state. ment of Chairman Stone that the at. tack on the American steamer Gulf. light without warning was in ais opin.
 ion a more serious case for the Amerl. can government to deal with than the Lusintania
 The impression prevailed tonight