Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-05-12
OFFICIAL WASHINGTON QUIET.
mo Time to Rock the Boat" Says
Secretary Bryan.


moment, studied in quiet s9clusion
to-day the aspects Of law ana fact in
connection with the sinking by
German torpedo Of the British liner
Lusitania, with a consequent loss OF
many American lives.
The great human tragedy, coupled
with the sponsibilities of the hour.
caused the President to deny him
self to all calle.s, even to members
Of his official family, while he turned
over in his mind the course to be
pursued by the United States govern
ment in one of the most serious
crises in is history.
The only glimpse OF the workings
of the Presidents mind was given
when the White House tonight is
sued it's first formal comment on the
disaster. The announcement was
country expected him to deal with
the situation "with deliberation as
well as firmness."
Waiting on Information.
The official data upon which for
NAL action will be based had not ar
rived. The President, therefore,
did not communicate with Secretary
Bryan or officials Of the State De-
partment. Nor did he consult men,
bers Of the Cabinet or Congress. He
has been giving such close personal
attention in the last few weeks to
the particular questions involved
that he was thought to be deter
mined first to sift for himself the
various ques tions and shape a policy
to be submitted to the cabinet, prob
ably on Monday or Tuesday.
In the meantime, public opinion
was expected to crystalize and help
point the way. Members of the cab
met cancelled other engagements and
held themselves i'm readiness for the
Presidents call. At the State De-
partment, when Secretary Bryan was
asked if there was any advice TO
communicate to the American peo-
pie at this time, he replied that he
did not think this was needed, for
the country understood the situa
ton.
This is not the time to rock the
boat, he said.
Carried No Guns.
One important fact was definitely
ascertained by the Washington gov
eminent to-day from the port author
tiles at New York, who gave clear
ance to the Lusitania-that she car
ried no guns, either mounted or un-
mounted, in accordance with the eau
ton Of the State Department and
British government early in the war.
This disposed in the minds OF off,
cials Of the claim that the German
submarine had a right to attack the
Lusitania because she was an auxil-
iary or converted cruiser. The ofi
ellis Of the Cunard Line are under
stood to have stated that the Lusi-
tania was not conveyed.
These facts in the opinion of law
officers Of the American government
left the German submarine no ex-
cuse under law or reason for an at
tack without warning on a ship with
hundreds Of non-combatants aboard
including neutral men, women and
children.
Position Of United States.
The position of the United States
has been that the presence Of con-
traband-evcn arms and ammuni-
tion-according to the rules Of inter-
national law, including the declara
ton Of London, which Germany has
upheld, cannot warrant the sinking
of a merchantmen without The previ-
GUS exercises Of the right Of visit
and search, and the removal Of non
combatants to a place Of safety.
The government stated this in its
last note to Germany, and at tho
same time issued a warning that the
Imperial German government would
be held "to strict accountability"
by the United States for any loss Of
American vessels or lives.
The decision which the President
and his advisers must reach, it was
admitted in all quarters, is momen-
tous one. Those officials conversant
with the legal aspects Of the case
pointed out that the United States