Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-27
PRESIDENT WILSON CABLES
AMERICAN AMBASSADORS FOR
PARTICULARS OF SUSSEX LOSS
Should Prove That Steamer Was Sunk by Torpedo without
Warning a Grave Situation in Relations Between
This Country and Germany Will Arise

Washington. March 26-The sinking of
the British steamer Englishman and the
channel liner Sussex with the probable
loss Of American lives threatens to bring
again a grave crisis in the relations be-
tween the United States and Germany. In
view of the fact that American citizens
were passengers or members Of the crew
on each steamer the state department.,
under directions of President Wilson, has
cabled to Ambassador Page at London
and Ambassador Sharp at Paris for full
particulars.
Might Avert Crisis
Should the facts show that both vessels
were destroyed by contact with floating
mines the situation will be eased and
crisis averted. But definite facts to prove
that these vessels. or either Of them, were
torpedoed without warning and without
provision for safety of the lives Of the
American citizens on board, will produce
the gravest possible situation in the rela-
tions between this country and Germany
regardless of whether Americans lost
their lives The United States govern
ment takes the view that for subma-
rine commander to jeopardiZe the lives
OF American non-combatants in an unpro-
volsed attack without warning and with
out safety of lives would be as serious a
violation of the principle for which Pres
ident Wilson has been steadfastly con-
tending as if American lives were lost
No action will be taken by President
WjJSoY, until tho acfa obtain
ed. The understanding here Is that If it
is clearly shown that these steamers were
victims of submarine torpedoboat attack
without warning, neither vessel having
offered resistance or tried to escape, Pres
ident Wilson will regard 1t as a violation
Of pledges and guarantees given by the
German government to the United States
and break in relations between the two
governments would follow.
When Senator Stone and other con-
gressional leaders had their recent
conferences with President Wilson
during the controversy over armed
merchantmen, the President was re-
liably reported to have informed them
that if the lives Of American citizens
were jeopardized or lost in another
dCIIIIdH SuUIlldTllc dlSdCh OIL q I16T.
chairman in violation Of the pledges
given, he would feel compelled to
hand passports to Count Won Berns-
torff, the German ambassador, and
Baron Zwiedinek, the Austrian charge
d'affairs.
Change Of Policy
The assurances of the German gov
eminent were given last September.
But in February Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary notified the world of
their intention to embark upon a spe-
cial campaign against armed enemy
merchantmen, President Wilson.
through Secretary Lansing, sought to
ascertain from the German government
whether this new policy would be put
into effect in modification of nullifi-
cation Of the guarantees previously
given, and accepted and considered by
the President and secretary of state as
securing armed as we'll as unarmed
merchant vessels from attack with
out warning.
Germany has never clearly stated
her position in this respect, but the
projected campaign against armed en-
envy merchantmen was not put imme-
diately into effect as threatened in
Gefmany'S note to the neutral powers.
II had been the announced intention to
lnaugurate this campaign on Feb. 80
Three weeks passed without any Incl
deEt occurring to indicate that the
Teutonic powers intended to fulfil their
threat. But within the past two weeks
the Silius, the Patria. the Tubantia
and other merchant vessels have fig
nred in incidents which the state de-
partment is Investigating. In each of
them alleged submarine torpedo at
tacks on neutral vessels was involved
and now upon the heels of these events
comes the destruction of the English
man and the Sussex
Torpodoed, Said Consul
\ telegram to the state department
from Consul Armstrong at Bristol.
Eng, asserted that the Enelishman
was torpedoed. Instructions were sent
to the embassy i'll London and to con.
sular officers in England to obtain af
noaVlts ana make thorough search
Tor the facts. Later came a message
from the embassy stating that 2 Amer
leans were on board the Sussex when
'A'o 'ooSSi went uOWn, and mentioning
only two Of the % as known to be safe
Secretary Lansing directed the en-
bassies ut London and Paris to snare
no effort to obtain the facts in botb
cases. The embassys report was as
follows:
London. March %.
Secretary of State, Washington.
Home office informs me that fol-
lowing 25 American citizens. whose
names and ages are given, were pas
sengers on the Sussex:
Gertrude Warren, %; Mrs
Calliope Fennell. 81: Lillian D
Bemis. "a; Henry S. Deer, So; Ida
Deer. age not given; Edward H. Hulk.
Herbert Parker, Jr., 2S: Wilder Grades
Penf1eld, 25; Charles Thomas Croker,
20; Joshua Dickinson Armitage. 52:
Edna Frances Hilton, %; Dorothy
Phillips Hilton, 81: Tinglewoods Gull
berson, %; Daniel Sargent, %; Ed
ward Marshall, AZ; Edna Hall, So; J.
N. Baldwin, 55; Elizabeth S. Baldwin,
"a; Helen Baldwin, 81; L. w. Ruiz, IS;