The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-09
All Seem to Have Kept Their Heads Over the
Lusitania Incident With no Demands
Sent to Washington.
THE OFFICIAL ATTITUDE IS SILENCE.
Legal Lights Say America Has no Case Against
Germany Even Though Her Citizens
Were Sacrificed.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.l
WASHINGTON, May 8.-The most
significant feature of the situation
created in America by the sinking Ut
the Lusitania as viewed by official
Washington tonight, was the fact that
the people have not lost their heads.
There has been no flooding Of the
white house and state department with
messages 4 demanding reprisals. nor
have statesmen and citizens fiocked
/ there to urge an assertion Of Amer
! ica's rights. Congressman Gardner
| of Massachusetts,, agitator Of the big
army and navy movement that failed
in the last congress. was the sole call
er of the kind.
President Wilson and his cabinet
adhered carefully to program cal
culated to prevent excitement Presi-
dent Wilson played his usual Satur-
day morning golf game. No cabinet
meeting was held, though it had been
expected there would be one. There
was not even conference between
the president and Secretary Bryan.
All information, however, concern
ing the disaster and particularly con-
cerning Americans on the Lusitania
and relief work by the American con-
sulate at Queenstown, was given i'm
mediately to the white house as fast
as it arrived.
Everything possible was done TO
allay public feeling and delay consid-
Grafton Of the course to be pursued
until all facts are in hand.
From the alarmist point of view
probably Secretary Bryan's sugges-
tion to newspaper correspondents that
this is no time to rock the boat
and Secretary of War Carrison's aban-
donment Of a proposed trip to Ala
bama were about the only things that
happened. ......
The real outstanding significant fact
as it appealed to Washington officia'-
dom tonight was that the people Of
the country have remained calm. This
was being discussed on every hand
and so far as the administration was
concerned, with gratitude.
Official action included a message
to Ambassador Gerard In Berlin, in
structing him to request report "a
the occurrence from the German gov
ernment: directions to Ambassador
Page in London that depositions he
obtained from the Lusitania survivors
and inquiries to London and to Queens
town concerning arrangements for the
care Of Americans.
AS for public statements, none we're
made. In the words of Counsellor
Lansing Of the state department, the
official attitude was stlence-strict
silence.
The British embassy was unwilling
to talk confining itself to a news bull
letin containing the meagre informa-
tion supplied all press applicants oy
the British foreign office
To yesterdays frank reminder that
Americans were warned not to sail on
the Lusitania. the German embassy
added only the statement that if the
Lusitania carried no guns, the Ge~-
man government had not been advised
Of their removal and that the embassy
had positive knowledge that the liner
was carrying arms and ammunition.
Ambassador Bernstorff was expect
eu from New York at 10 a. m. Sunday.
Such legal opinions as were vouch-
safed by recognized authorities dur
ing the day, inclined to the belief that
the United States Lusitania case
against Germany is weaker than that
involved In the sinking of the Gull
fight. Senators as divergent in most
of their views as Henry Cabot Lodge
and Chairman Stone of the foreign re-
lations committee. agreed on this. The
| usitania was subject to attack from
any enemy vessel. according to Stone
and Americans exercising their right
to trave! abroad On neutral missions