The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-05-14
REALIZES CITlZEN2 or UNITED
STATES EXPECT HIM TO Elk
PRESS THEIR INOIGNA.
TON OVER DISASTER.
OFFICIAL REPORTS OF
AMBASSADORS AWAITED
Cabinet Meeting Will Follow Presl,
dents Return From Philadelphia
Where He is Expected to GIVE
Expression to His Feelings
on Situation.

Washington. May I'm Nat Gcll0t
the United States government will
take as the result of the British liner
Lusitania with a loss OF more than a
hundred American lives is an Ehde-
termined question.
President Wilson during the last p
| hours has been studying every aspect
OF the case. from its LEGAL ard human
itarian ASPECT. That he feels deeply
distressed over the incident and reali&-
es the citizens OF the United States eX-
pect him to express in some fashion
their Indignation over il. was Indicated
by the statement issued frolr the
White House.
Official Reports Awaited.
Until all the official reports are re-
ceiged from Ambassadors Gerard AMI
PAGE at Berlin and Lcnton, rtspect
lively. it IS not expected that any ac-
ton Will be taken,
The president plans to so TO Phila-
delphia late TO deliver there this even
ing a speech which observers generally
believe will give expression 10 nls
" feelings on the situation produced
by The sinking OF the Lusitania.
He is to address a meeting OF loco
EaturaliZed Americans arranged for
several weeks ago by the bureau OF
naturalization o. the department OF
commerce to launch a systematic cam
paign for educating new citizens to a
right understanding of their duties.
Mr.. Wilson Will return the neyt
day and a few hours later the regular
meeting of the cabinet will take place
when it is said he will lay before his
advisors the policy he has in mind and
ask their counsel.
On the questions of law involved in
the sinking OF the l.usitania, the Wash
ington government long ago has stat
ed its position to Germany. Law
officers OF the government were unan-
lmons in the opinion shared hy the
president. that there is no warrant M
der law or reason for the destruction
Of an unarmcd merchant ship. even
Of an enemy. without warning the pas
sengers at the time the ship is en-
countered and transferring passengers
to a place of safety.
statement from Berlin.
The official statemen. from Berlin.
which came by wireless admitting that
a German submarine had sunk the
Ilsitania and pointing out that the
big liner was naturally armed with
guns, was commented Upon by officials.
IN the highest authority it was stat
ed that as early as last September
when Count Won Bernstorff, the Ger
man ambassador. called attention to
the arrival in American ports of Brit
lsh liners, among them the Adria,ic,
with guns aboard, the question was
taken up by the state department.
1t was ruled by the department that
q merchant vessel could not be classed
as a Warship if she carried guns not
larger than sixinch calibre for de-.
fensive purposes, bnt nevertheless in.
formal negotiations were begun imme-
dlately with Great Britain and an I'M
derstanding was reached whereby no
vessels clearing from American ports;
would be armed.
Ship Carried No Guns.
DuuiV! lClu MdlOHc, collector OF
the port OF New York, has been asked
by the Washington government as to
whether the Lnsitania carried any
armament and has reported that she
carried out the terms of the under
standing as originally entered into
with the British government and had
nc guns aboard.
Count Won Bernstorff, the German
ambassador, declared that no express
sions would be given without instruc-
tons from Berlin.
The official Austro-German opinion
here, emphasizes to justify the act. the
presence Of ammunition on a passor.
ger ship and argues that the sacrifice
OF passengers was less than the toll
that would have been taken by the
ammunition had 1t reached the allies
During the day the German ambas-
sador received ar anonymous letter
warning him that the embassy would
be blown up at 1:32 a. m. He turned
1t over to the police but paid no SER
ious attention to what he regarded as
hn VHsn RLy - ---