The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-02-17
RUTHLESS U-BOAT
war IS NOW ON
American Negro Sailor Is Lost
When Steamer Turin0 Was
Sunk Without Warning.
AWAITING CAUSE FOR ACTION
President Wilson Determined Not to
Plunge United States into War
on a Technicaiity.

Washington, Feb. 9-The American
government still is without the off
cial evidence of an overt act by Ger
many considered necessary to justify
President Wilson in going before Con
gress for authority to use necessary
means to protect American seamen
and people.
There no longer is any doubt that
the ruthless submarine campaign is in
full swing in defiance of the warning
OF the United States. Everywhere it
is believed that if no American ship
has been destroyed it is because Amer
lean ships are lying idle in their har-
bors instead of plying their usual
trade. If no American life has been
lost it is due entirely to chance.
California Case Violation.
1t also is generally conceded that
on the basis of preliminary reports,
the torpedoing without warning of the
passenger liner California with an
American aboard, makes out a clear
cut case of technical violation of the
rights of the United States.
President Wilson, however, is repre-
sented as determined not to plunge
the country into war on technicaIity.
When he moves it will be on complete
evidence of an outrage about which
there can be no question Then he
expects to have the American people
and Congress behind him.
An American Negro Killed.
Unofficial dispatches today told of
the killing of an American negro sailor
named George Washington in the sink
ing of the British steamer Turino.
Few details were given, and the State
Department tonight has heard nothing
officially. The Incident will be con-
sidered as soon as reports are re-
ceived.
In line with his general policy in
the crisis, the President authorized the
statement that even in case of war.
bank deposits and other property OF
foreigners in the United States would
be safeguarded and not seized.
In taking stock of a whole New
World situation precipitated by the
German pronouncement of February 1,
official Washington looks upon the
German action as having forced the
severance of relations and brought
this country to the verge of war, as
having left one million prisoners for
whom this country was caring in a
serious situation, and as having
brought down on Germany the moral
indignation of practically all the rest
of the world
Expect England to Act
Immediate changes are looked for in
England, first as to methods of fight
ing the underseas boat and second as
to safeguarding the country against
starvation. Whether better protection
would be had by heavier armament
OF merchant vessels, convey, provis-
ion of sea lanes or a supreme attempt
to root out che German fleet are sub
jects of interested speculation.
Passenger Liner Down.
Washington. Feb. 8-Wesley Frost.
the United States consul at Queens
town, cabled the State Department
tonight that the British liner Califor-
MIA had been torpedoed without warn.
ing off the Irish Coast and that the
one American known to have been on
hoard was saved.
4 Some of the passengers and crew
were still missing, including two
women and several children.
An American in the Crew. :.
The American survivor was John
A. Lee of Montgomery, Ala, who is
supposed to have been a member of
the crew.
The captain of the ship was quoted
as saying the submarine did not hail
or give any warning before firing two
torpedoes from a distance of three
hundred yards and sending the Cali.
fornia down.
The survivors among the liners
thirty-one passengers and crew OF 1874
arg being taken to Queenstown. The
California was vessel of 1852 tons
U-Boats Keep on ReIentIessIy.
Including the California, British
Italian and Peruvian ships of a known
tonnage of 22.625 have been sent to
the bottom during the last twenty-fou1
hours by German submarines. In ad
dition one British steamer, the tonnage
of which is not known, and two Brit
ism steam trawlers and two FISHING
boats also have been sunk. while the