The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-29
Upon Berlin's Reply Will Probably Depend Next
 Step of Washington Gov ernment-Is Not Protest
ALL REPORTS ON SUBJECT PLACED
 BEFORE CABINET
Course of Action Should
 Germany Deny Charge
 Has Not Been Considered. House Is Called to Capital

Washington, March ,2s.-Secretary Lan- sing. with the approval of President Will son. has instructed Ambassador Gerard to inquire of Germany whether any of it's submarines torpedoed the British channel steamer Sussex, upon which 25 American citizens were travelling, or the British horse ship Englishman, which went down with loss of one American life. The United States has no conclusive proof that submarine attacked either ship, but all evidence at hand indicates 1 that both were torpe1oeo without warn | ing. Upon the response of the Berlin foreign office to Mr- Gerards inquiry may depend the next step of the Ameri- can government.
 | At this time, it is made clear. no ac- ton has been taken which in any sense may be construed as a demand pro- 1 test
 CABINET HEARS REPORTS President Wilson laid all the state de- partment's reports on the subject before his cabinet today. It was after the meet 1 ing that Secretary Lansing allowed it to become known that it had been deter
  government Later it was learned that Instructions already had been forwarded to Ambassador Gerard. They probably | were in his possession this afternoon ] The general situation was still further complicated tonight with the receipt of l q dispatch from Consul Frost at Queens ! town announcing that the British
 steamer Manchester Engineer had been l torpedoed without warning. Two negro
 American citizens aboard were rescued 1 Further information which the consul said he was forwarding will be awaited before the department undertakes to con- sider this case.
 If German submarine attacked either
 the Sussex or the Englishman. 1t Is ad-
 mitted that the resultant situation will be most serious. An unofficial but au- thoritative statement has been made that l Germany, if it was found that one of her submarines torpedoed the Sussex, in- mediateiy would offer reparation, punish
 the subarine commander and take steps to satisfy the United States that the act was a violation of the instructions.
 MUST BE CERTAIN 1 While official expression of opinion WAS withheld, it was intimated that should such development occur the position of the United States would not be defined
 until it was known that the men re- sponsible for violating the rights of hu- manity, the principles of international | law, the solemn assurances given by Ger
 many. actually had been punished. l Until now the administration had not decided just what action will be taken | if Germany fiatly denies that any of ifs submarines was concerned in either case. even though the circumstantial evi-
 dence received clearly indicates the con jtrary.
 | If future developments should authorize
 the President to determine that the break- | ing off of diplomatic relations with Ger 1 many is necessary, he would go before
 Congress, announce his decision and ext plain the acts leading up to 1t. While | the President has full authority to break l off relations he realizes that such an act inevitably would lead to war, and 1 therefore would feel himself obligated to l fully inform Congress, the war-rlaking body of the government, before taking such a step
 l Among high officials of tine admlnlstra- l ton there appears to be dinerence or | (COntinued on Page "'hree)