The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-03-02
Tacoma SECOND
LUSITANIA CASE
Washington Views U-BOat Attack
as Extremely WantOn.
TEN AMERICANS ARE VICTIMS

MRS. ALBERT and EHZapetn roy anu
Members OF Crew Are Added to Ac-
count ChargeabIe Against Kaiser.
Wilson Prepares to Protect Ameri-
cans Regardless of Congressional
PaIaVer.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-Two Ameri-
can women lost in the wintry seas
as the result of a German submarine
attack and a congressional battle over
the next step" to meet the German
submarine campaign of ruthlessness
summed up the international situation
which holds the United States in tense
alarm The effort of administration
forces to secure action on President
Wilson'S demand that congress auth
orizes him to arm American ships
and use "other instrumentalities" in
his discretion to preserve American
rights at sea, met defeat in the SEN
ate Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin
blocked consideration of a measure de-
signed to confer the requested powers
on the President and made it appar-
ent that the bill would be bitterly con-
tested.
Another Lusitania Case.
The death of Mary E. Hoy and EliZ-
abeth Hoy of Chicago in the sinking
of the Laconia were declared by the
administration to be plain viola
ton of international law" The cold
formal report of Consul Frost at
Queenstown described the two Amer1-
can women as dead from exposure
and bodies lost at sea-" But behind
the official language Washington saw
the whole breath and scope of the
German submarine ruthlessness with
the full possible effect on American
rights. The Laconia was described as
another "Lusitania case'' and admin
iStration officials made it plain that
the next step" to protect American
rights at sea was now inevitable. 1t
was stated that whether the President
secures congressional sanction for his
authority to arm merchant vessels or
not, before many days American YES
sells, armed fore and aft, with Ameri.
cans gunners aboard, will be defying
Tie NcIuldu Wal ZOuc
President Will Act Anyhow.
The President is convinced that I'M
der the constitution he has authority
to arm American vessels, and he pro-
poses to use it, it is stated. The sig
nificant statement that the navy de-
partment would the next day open
bids for suitable guns for use on mer,
chant ships was forthcoming.
The report of Consul Frost on the
Laconia sinking were laid before the
President by Secretary of State Lam
sing and after the conference, the sec
rotary announced that the LacOnia
case was a clear violation of all the
rules of international law. While he
would not say whether the tragedy
was regarded as the covert act' neces-
sary to precipitate the next STEP" ad-
ministration officials generally de-
clared that the situation was fraught
with grave possibilities.
Reports Eleven Americans Lost.
Consul Frost reported the death of
an American negro, Robert ellis, of
Brooklyn, on the Laconia. Earlier he
had reported five drowned and five, in
Guiding the two American women.
dead from exposure. The Laconia was
twice torpedoed, the second time while
the passengers and crew were leaving
the doomed vessel. 1t is stated that
the circumstances of the case demon
strated beyond doubt that German
submarine commanders were prepared
to go to the full extent of ruthlessness
outlined in the war zone order which
became effective Feb. and that there
was no hope of averting action by the
United States to meet the German
campaign.
American Reported Saved.
WASHINGTON = Additional re-
ports on the sinking of the Laconia
received at the state department add
ed to the list Of Americans saved Ro-
bert ellis of 1905 and 412 Stanhope
street, Ridgewood, Brooklyn, and re-
ported Thomas Coffee, colored, Amer
lean, of Baltimore lost