East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-23
WHOLE EVIDENCE
TO Be OBTAINED
PENDING ACTION
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin Has
Been Instructed to Get Statement
From Germany on ArabiC's Loss.
LONDON SAYS mo WARNING"
British Foreign office Goes on Rec
ord as Claiming Steamship Was De-
liberately Sunk--No Convoy With
Vessel-lmportant Dispatches Re
Ceived From Mr.. Page.

Vessel-Imuortant Dispatches Re-
ceived From Mr.. Page.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23-Import-
ant dispatches regarding the sinking
Of the Arabic were received today by
the state department from Ambassa-
dor Page 1t was stated they are not
for immediate publication.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23.-The ac-
ton to be taken as a result Of the
sinking Of the Arabic will not be de-
cided on 'fragmentary evidence"
This was stated by a high authority
Of the state department and taken to
mean the administration might need
two or three weeks to make up its
mind.
The British version Of the torpedo
ing or sinking Of the liner is expected
to be received with reasonable
promptness. Ambassador Gerard at
Berlin has been instructed to get
statement from Germany. It was an
nounced but detailed mail advices
from Ambassador Page and a re-
port Of the submarine commander to
Berlin. may not be received for a
fortnight.
Secretary lansing denied stock
market reports that Germany had
disavowed the sinking OF the Arabic
but this was followed by an admls-
sion that some such statement might
I har IL -
No Policy Adopted.
The cabinet has not adopted a
policy to pursue in the case Germany
| is shown to have committed 'delib-
Ierately unfriendly' act" Attorney
General Gregory declared. THE Uni
ted States does not deal with hypo-
thetical cases. Such action would be
| exceedingly improper"
It was said this explained the action
I of the state department in instruct
/ ing Gerard to request a statement and
/ inquire wheher the German admiralty
had received any report from the
/ commander of the submarine sup
posed to have torpedoed the Arabic.
1t was not clear this afternoon why
/ the state department seemed doubt
/ ful as to the nationally of Mrs. Jo-
/ sephine Bruguiere and Or. Edmund
Woods, two of those who perished in
I the Arabic. It was declared the Of
/ ficials merely had accepted the state
ment of Ambassador Page that they
were American citizens.
LONDON. Aug. 2S.-The British
foreign office went flatIy on record
today as claiming the Arabic was
sunk by a German submarine without
/ warning and without its having at.
tempted to escape or to attack the
submarine.
I The Arabic was an unarmed pas
senger steamer, outward bound to
neutral port, it was stated. Thus
it was impossible fer her to be carry
ing contraband TO this county. The
Arabic was sunk by a German sub
! marine without warning. The vessel
neither attempted to attack the SUBJ
marine nor to escape"
It was assumed this statement Is
based upon a report made by Captain
Finch Of the Arabic. Finch main
tanned he saw the track OF the tor
pedo which sank the ship. resulting
in the death OF two Americans and
upwards Of 40 others.
Asked as to the possibility Of the
Dunsley being considered as a convoy
to the Arabic, the foreign office de-
clared the Dunsley was a peaceful
trading ship. She did not attack the
submarine and neither the Dunsley
nor any vessel conveyed the Arabic
Liverpool dispatches reported that
/ the submarine which sank the Arabic
hid behind the Dunsley after torpedo
ing the latter. while the Arabic was
| approaching. When the Arabic came
close enough the submarine dived and
launched a torpedo