Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-06
WILSON PLEDGES
DECISIVE ACTION
in PERSIA CASE
President "Will Satisfy All
Patriotic Americans"
Senator's Are Told
ANOTHER AMERICAN LOST
WASHINGTON ian. 6.

WASHINGTON Jan. 8.
Action which will satisfy all patriot,
Americana IN dtsposinR Of the critica
situation arising from the loss Of Amer
lean lives through the sinking of the P
and o. liner Persia was promised by
President Wilson today He promised
Senator Overman and Simmons, of North
Carolina, personal friends of Robert N
McNeely, the youthful Consul who went
down with the liner, that as soon as all
OF the facts are available he will act de-
cisively. There will be no delay he stated
and II II is developed that a submarine
was responsible the action to be taken
Will be OF a drastic character.
ANOTHER AMERICAN LOST.
Ambassador Page at London today con-
nrmed press reports to the effect that
another American is believed to have
been lost on the Persia In n dispatch
to the State Department Ambassador
Page said the Rev. Homer r. Salisbury.
formerly OF Tacoma Park, District of CO.
fumbia. Is believed to have been lost on
the Persia. Ambassador Pages dispatch
follows:
''The Rev Homer r, Salisbury, native
born American citizen sailed from Mar
seilles. France. on Persia. He formerly
lived In Tacoma Park, ID. c. Steamship
captain confirms his sailing and believes
him lost"
AIRY and was on his way TO join his wife
at post in India when he boarded the
Persia at Marseilles His mother lives
at Battle Creek. Mich, and brother
W. r. Salisbury, lives at Glendale, Cal.
Ambassador Penheld at Vienna today
cabled the tate Department tina. he had
received its instructions to ask the AUS
trian roreign Office for information re-
sarding the nationality of the submarine
which sank the Persia. The Ambassador
stated rther that he had gone to the
Foreign Office and made the inquiries.
His dispatch did not Indicate when he ex-
pected to receive a reply from he Aus
trian Foreign Office.
The State Departl tent also received
word from Consul Garrels at Alexandria
today, stating that he is collecting affi-
davits from Survivors of thu Persia. He
stated that all agree they saw no sub
marine.
The President later conferred with Sem
ator Stone chairman Of the Senate For
eign Affairs Committee, and urged him
10 prevent any further public discussion in
relations in open session.
EXPLAINS SENATE ROW.
The President made it very plain to the
Missouri Senator that such a "free-for-
all handling OF a critical international
situation which took place yesterday
might be very dangerous to the United
States. Senator Stone Is understood to
nave explained to the President that the
discussion broke loose without warning
Ind that II would have savored too much |
II gag rule to have attempted to choke |
t OF.
The Senator told the President that |
here Is wide difference of opinion in /
Senator's regarding the authority of the /
executive to break Off friendly lions |
With any Power without at least insult /!
ng the Senate. and explained th9 many 4
n the members OF the upper h ,..s held /
he view that Americans have no right to
ravei In armed belligerent vessels. The
'ntire situation as 1t now stands and the
,lans prepared by the President and Sec /
etary Lansing were outlined to Senator
tone, and he then agreed to do his best
o prevent any further free discussion of
he foreign relations of the United States.