Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-10
MESSAGES POUR IN
ON WILSON URGING
SEVERE MEASURES
kilograms From All Parts
of Country Reach
President.
REALIZES THAT PEOPLE
EXPECT FIRM ATTITUDE
No Action Probable Until Ali
Official Reports Are
Received.
VITAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED
VITAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED
Sinking of Lusitania One of Series
OF Incidents Directed at
United States.

WASHINGTON. May e.--what action
the United States government will take
as a result OF the sinking of the Brit
ish liner Lusitanie, with n loss Of more
than 100 American lives. is tonight
IN undetermined question.
president Wilson. during the last
f"enty-four hours. has been studying
every phase of the case from its legal
and humanitarian aspects. That he
'eels deeply distressed over the Incl
dent and realizes the people OF the
united States expect him to express in
hoin" pronounced fashion their indig-
nation. was indicated by the statement
'sHu"d from the White House last
night.
Nothing more was added to-day to
the few significant sentences Of this
utterance, that the President was con
s'dering very earnestly. but very
calmly. the right course of action 10
pursue" and that he knows the peo-
ple OF the country wish and EXPECT
him 10 act with dclberatlon as well as
with iirmness"
Until all the official reports are re-
ceived from Ambassadors Gerard and
Page, at Berlin and London. respec-
lively. II was not expected that any
action would be taken.
SPENDS QUIET DAY APART
FROM OFFICIAL FAMILY
The President spent quiet day apart
from his official fam!ly--and. for the
most part. alone. He went to church
In the forenoon and took n ride after
luncheon. Most OF the time he seemed
pre- occupied, and 'alked little TO his
companions. He sat in his study IL
was said. in deep thought, undisturbed
ior hours. secretary and Mrs. McAdoo
dined with him tonight, but it was
understood no reference WAS made TO
tho war situation. 1t was the first
time Mr.. McAdoo had visited the White
House since he was operated on "A few
weeks ago.
When the President went motoring
he rode alone on the front seat, re-
volving in his mind the most important
problem of his administration When
he returned TO his desk tonight he
found the pile OF kilograms had in
creased They had been coming in
scores from all parts of the country.
Many urged the adoption of severe
measures. Several among them, a few
from workinGmen's organizations, ad-
vised declaration of war as tAe
surest preventive OF further affronts
20 American dignity, Others suggested
severance of all diplomatic relations
until adequate reparation and apology
was made. Still others counselcd a
peaceful course but advocated firm
ness. few messages justified the
sinking.
Secretary Bryan. who spent the day
at home, also received many messages
bearing on the situation similar to
those that came to the White House.
NAY GIVE EXPRESSION
TO Feelings TODAY
The President pl MS to go to phi!a-
delphia late tomorrow TO deliver there
in the evening a speech. which OBJ
servers generally believe will give en-
preston TO his own feelings on the sit
uation produced by the sinking of the
l-usitania. He Is to address a meet
ing OF 1000 naturaliZed Americans.
Secretary Tumulty went to Phila-
delphia to-day to make arrangements
for the trip Mr.. Wilson will return
early on Tuesday, and n few hours
later the regular meeting of the Cabi-
net will take place. when it is general
~ expected he will lay before his ad-
viscrs the policy he has in mind and
ask their counsel.
The official statement from Berlin.
which came by wireless, admitting that
n German submarine had sunk the
Lusitania, and pointing out that the
big liner was naturally armed with
guns. was widely commented upon by
officials. On the highest authority, IT
was stated that as early as last Sep
tember, when Count Won Bernstorff,
the German ambassador, called atten-
tion to the arrival in American ports
of British liners with guns aboard, the
question was taken up by the State
Department. 1t was ruled by the de-
pnrtment that n merchant vessel could
not be classed AS warship if she car
ried guns not larger than six-inch
caliber for defensive purposes, but,
nevertheless. informal negotiotions
were begun Immediately with Great
Britain, and an understanding was
reached whereby no British vessels
clearing from American ports would
be armed. 1t is the duty of tho port
authorities in New York each time a
ship asks for clearance to see that no
guns mounted or 'unmounted. are car
ried on belligerent vessels. Dudley
Field Malone. collector of the port of
New York, has been asked by the
washington government as to whether
the Lusitania carried any armament,
Continued on Second Page.)