The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-22
President Decides to Direct
Gerard to Call Attention to
Sinking of Arabic
BELIEVE GERMANY WILL
| CLAIM SELF-DEFENSE
To Declare Arabic Was Try
ing to Ram Under-sea Boat
After Dunslea Was Sunk.
Expect Congress Call

washington. Aug 21-only one tam
gihie development stands out thus TAR
in the crisis caused by the torpedcing
Of the White sart liner Arabic and
the loss of at least TWO American
lives.
The President has decided to direct
Ambassador Gerard. at Berlin, to call
the German governments attention 70
the sinking of the Arabic and thus
invite any explanation which the Ber-
lin authorities may care to make.
This action will give Germany an OPP
portunity to cite any circumstances 81
which she may have knowledge In her
own defense, or voluntarily to dfsa-
vow the act of the submarine coma
mander II she should disire to adopt
that course.
washington has no hope that Ger
many will repudiate the sinking Of this
Arabic. On the contrary the belief
here In that she will defend this act
lust AZ she did the torpedoing OF the
Lusitania without warming. So that
the opportunity opened up by Ambas-
sador Gerard.s inquiry. al viewed In
washington. IL likely to be valuable
only insofar as II will give the United
States officials Germans side OF the
case.
May soon Cali Congress.
The passing of another twenty -four
hours has increased the tension In
Washington over Germany's latest at
tack upon American life and strengthen
the impression that this government
will be Obliged to "act" unless some
entirely unexpected circumstances ara
brought to light In regard to the sink
ing OF the White Star liner. In fact
some ofiiciais, though not In any way
purporting to speak for the President.
went so far today ~ to say that the
United States win have to act
promptly and firmIy - soon ~ all tbs
facts have been oficiai1y obtained,
There IL now no doubt that the only.
action that administration ofgsciais have
in mind II .he severance Of diplomatic
relations with Germany. II ths Pres
ident feels Obliged to take this step
Congress win be called In seeaion to
vote q large sum Of money for use
in strengthening the national defens-
es.
May Claim ssIf-nefense.
Strong intimations already have be-
gun to come from German sources ~
thorities will make for the sinking ~
the Arabic. II IL believed here thsy
will seize upon Ambassador GerardsS
inquiry to contend that the White Star
liner was attempting to ram the Gar
man submarine after the latter had
torpedoed the steamship Dssnslea, and
that the submarine. therefore. acted n
self defense. Suggestions already have
emanated from Berlin that this expla-
nation might be advanced.
Details not known OF the sinking u
the Arabic apparently would lend
themselves to such defense. StatA-
ments that have been cahled from
Queenstown represent Captain Finch,
Of the Arabic. as having sad that Ne
had seen the steamship Dunslea In dif-
ncuIty and was making toward her
when he sighted the torped that had
been fred at his own vessel. othar
members OF the crew have been quoted
to the effect that the white Star liner
was going to the rescue Of the Dun-
slea when she was attacked.
The argument advanced IN German
quarters IL that the Arabic was att
tempting to ram tbs submas inc. or ~
least the commander OF the German
submarine believed that to re the I'm
tention of the Arabic. and discharxca
his torpedo in self-defense.
OMeiaIs are skeptlcaI.
OniciAls In Warrington were inclined
to be very skeptical OF this axplAnatI0n
They pointed to the fact that the &or~
pedo hit the Arabic an On tho atar~s
board side. They were Of the upfnioa
that tho explosive would not have
reached It's mark In that quartar if III
had been DISCHARGED with the Arahl4
for the purpose Of ramuinx IL
II was acknowledged, however. THAT
Il might have been possibls for Nv
submarine to have made such NJ
under those circumstances II the kisa~
bic had altered her course aftef ~