Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1915-05-13
WILSON REFUSES
TO Be HURi led.
President Not to Act Hastily In
Lusltanja Case.
MANY SUGGESTIONS ARE MAOE

While President Wilson continued
MS consideration of the Lusitania dis
aster in solitude at the White House.
1t was Indicated that before many
days have passed he will let the couu-
Try Know what steps he has decided
upon. While officials reitei ated that
the president would not allow himself
to be hurried into a hasty decision.
he realizes that public sentiment u
vors prompt Indication of what tie
United States will do.
Messages from all parts of the 20 J.
try continue to pour into the v lie
House, counseling various courses.
Some advocated war. but majority
of them counseled peace.
Whatever America does about it
will take into account not only the de-
struction of the Lusitania, costing
more than 100 American lives, but the
torpedoing of the American steamer
Gulf1ight, resulting in the deaths of
three Americans, the sinking of the
British steamer Falaba, causing the
death of one American, and the drop
ping OF bombs by German aviator
upon the American steamer Cushing.
The destruction of the Lusitania, al
though an enemy merchant vessel 5y
German submarine without warning
and without providing adequately for
the safety of the passengers and crew
is held by state department officials
without exception to have been clear
violation of international law.
Official Statement.
The only glimpse of the workings
of President Wilson's mind was
given when the White House issued
its first formal comment on the disas-
ter The announcement was made
that the president realized the coun-
try expected him to deal with the sit
uation with elaboration as well as
firmness" The announcement was as
follows:
after conference with the presi-
dent at the White House, Secretlry
Tumulty said: OF course. the pvasi-
dent feels the distress and the gra; ty
of the situation to the utmost and is
considering very earnestly, but very
calmly, the right course of action 10
pursue. He knows that the peop,e of
| the country wish and expect him 20
act with deliberation as well as with
firmness."
The official data, upon viii formal
action will be based, had rot arrived
yet The president thereto g did rot
communicate with Secretarr Drvan or
officials of the state department or
did he consult members OF the cabinet
or congress.
Sitting 1t For Himself.
He has been giving such close per-
sonal attention in the last few weeks
| to the particular questions invo''re ID
| that he was thought to be deterIi ed
| to sift for himself the var"o IS $
tions and shape policy to be slbmsl-
ted to the cabinet this week
In the meantime public opinion was
expected to crystalline and help point
the way. Secretary BRYAN was IS ed
if there was any advice to ON nuni-
cate to the American people a. is
time He replied that he did not think
this was needed for the country un-
derstood the situation.
This is no time to rock the boat"
he said. 1t was the same sentiment
which Chairman Stone OF the senate
foreign relations committee had ex-
pressed earlier The single phrase ex-
pressed the desire of the Washington
administration that prejudices and
passions be not thrust into the unsta-
Bile equilibrium while the government
endeavored to learn all the details.
Lusitania Carried No Guns.
One important fact was definitely
ascertained by the Washington gov
eminent from the port authorities at
New York, who gave clearance to the
Lusitania-that it carried no guns,
either mounted or unmounted, in ac-
cordance with the caution of the state
department and British government
early in the war. This disposed in the
minds of officials the claim that the
German submarine had right to at
tack the Lusitania because it was an
auxiliary or a converted cruiser. OF
fcials of the Cunard line are under
stood to have stated that the Lusl-
tania was not conveyed.
These facts, in the opinion of law
officers of the American government,
left the German submarine no excuse
under law or reason for an attack
without warning on ship with hun
dreds of non-combatants on board, Ia.
Guiding neutral men, women and chill.
dren. The position of the United
States has been that the presence OF
contraband-even arms and ammu.
nition-according to the rules of inter
national law, including the Declare
ton of London, which Germany has
upheld, cannot warrant the sinking OF
merchantmen without the previous
!, exercise of the right of visit and
search and the removal of noncombat
ants to place of safety
.. The government stated this in Its
: last note to Germany, and at the same