Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-06
"a Glorious Way to Peter Out"

"A GLORIOUS Way to Peter Out"
Notwithstanding the formal warning issued
from the Imperial German Embassy in Wash
| ington, under date of April 22, and printed in
the newspapers throughout the country on
May l, calling public attention to the creation
of war zone about the British Islands and
announcing that travellers sailing in the war
zone on ships of Great Britain and her Allies
do so at their peril" no one really believed
that Germany would go so far as to sink
great passenger ship. 1t was unthinkable.
The anonymous letters and kilograms sent to
passengers who had arranged to sail on the
Lusitania were not taken seriously. The COM
mon impression was that practical joker was
engaged in an unusually gruesome sort of
sport. Alfred G. Vanderbilt. who received
such telegram, remarked
why should we be afraid 6f German sub
marines? We can outdistance any submarine
afoat."
And Elbert Hubbard. with characteristic
thrift. said ITO be torpedoed would be a
glorious way to peter out and it would be a
good advertisement"
The ship sailed with more than 1900 persons
on board. including 1873 Americans. A few
persons who had engaged passage Cancelled
their reservations. it is true but the most of
those who had arranged to go were on the
one of those who had premonition of disas.
ter, and remained at home
When the first report came on the morning
of May that the Lusitania had been dis.
abled, the impression was that the ship had
struck floating mine, When the truth was
known, neither the imagination nor the mem
ory could find any horror with which to com.
pare II. The tragedy will remain to the end
OF time the great outstanding indictment Of
twentieth century civilization. No history
VIII be complete without the story OF it and
no study OF the heights and depths TO which
human nature can sink win cover the ground
IL II fails TO take account of the state of mind
and morals OF the men responsible for torpe.
doing the passenger ship and the exhibition Of
heroism in the face OF death brought to view
by the passengers.
"The Most Beautiful Adventure
TO the credit of the Germans it should be
said that they have devoted themselves In
the intervening months to an attempt to
Justify to their reason an act which they can
not justify 10 their conscienoes The German
lighting machine boasted of the deed, but the
German heart was moved the great horror
was disclosed.
What happened on that ship during the
short fifteen minutes between the time when
the first torpedo exploded and the time when
the vessel disappeared beneath the water
makes one proud OF the brave and valiant
spirit OF man. Charles Frohman enjoyed a
fame among the patrons OF the theatre. but
the manner of his taking OF has lifted him
into an immortality alohg with that enjoyed
by other souls who looked on the bearer OF
the scythe without terror. He went about
the ship cheering and encouraging the timid.
and when some one asked him why he was so
=
II is the most beautiful adventure In life"
There have been many last words put on
record. but none has shown a serener con-
ndenee or more wholesome curiosity about
the future than this
Elbert Hubbard 4petered out" to use his
colloqulalism by the aid OF the torpedo, ana
30 Ions as the people are Interested In the
literary history of this period they Viii read
of TIE Lnaitania aad he voyage 70 death On
s. HahbaFd ald ons lmrnartaI thine ln ths
Message 10 Gercia. which makes it a.