The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-02-16
BOAT SUNK
AN AMERICAN VESSEL
WILSON MAY GO BEFORE
CONGRESS SOON.
Other Outrages by Foreign Gov
ernments May Hurry Up the
Approaching Crisis.


Wilson would go before congress to
ask authority for protecting lives
and property without waiting for a
serious disaster which might shock
the country. There were no indica-
tions, however, that he believed the
time for such step had come and it
again was stated authoritatively
that he would move deliberately and
with full appreciation of all the con-
sequences involved.
Official reports of the sinking of
the American schooner Lyman M.
Law in the Mediterranean by an Aus
trian submarine added only slightly
to the tension, for while the act is
believed to have been illegal no lives
were lost and the vessel apparently
was warned. The incident was not
looked upon as one in itself sufficient
to hurry the development of the sit
uation.
Preliminary reports began COM
ing to government departments show
ing the piiing up along the Atlantic
seaboard of goods destined for ex-
port to European ports.
No serious effect from this condi-
tion will be felt. however. until lapse
of sufficient time for ships remaining
in American ports to have gone to
Europe are returned. While only
approximately 10 per cent of AmerI-
can commerce with Europe is car
ried on American ships, the sailings
OF vessels of other nationalities in
many instances have either been can
celled or postponed and therefore
are results of the ruthless submarine
campaign in time will result in far
reaching disturbance of the indus
trial life of the United States.
War Preparations Hastened.
Preparations by the government
for any eventuality still are goine
forward without interruption Much
Importance is attached to the work
of the Council of National Defense.
which is holding daily sessions for
the purpose of learning at first hand
from Americans of experience what
provision must be made to co-ordin-
ate American resources. Il. S. Stee,
tinius, of j. p. Morgan & Co., was
again before the council today, fur
information gained from ex-
perience as head of his firms huge
in war orders for the en-
tente allies.
1t was stated during the day that
it was entirely possible the govern
ment would take no steps towards
actually furnishing arms to AmerI-
can ships unless and until the presl-
dent decides he should go before
congress.
While the state department takes
the position that the government has
the right to furnish the guns, other
questions which make the question
more complex have arisen.
Law Sunk by Bomb.
Consul Treadway, at Rome, for
dispatches today showing
that the schooner Law was sunk by
IAN Austrian submarine without
flag" apparently by placing a bomb
aboard after the vessel had been
stopped. The reports indicate that
the vessel was illegally sunk. as her
rarn Of ltHVr hnf- 10 90 4
contraband by this government and
that the recognized rule of the sea
that war craft must show its flag
before taking hostile action was
violated.
Most serious of the aspects of the
case Is the statement that the sub
marine was Austrian. In replying
to the queries that will be sent to
Vienna as to the facts of the sinking.
It is thought more than probable that
Austria may make some statement
which will precipitate the expected
break with that country.
The question OF the armament of
American merchantmen seemed to be
disposed of today by the
official statement that there were no
guns in the country to be had by ship
owners unless the government pro-
vided them, and the strong intima-
lion that the president expects to go
before congress before committing
The government to policy Of fur
oishing arms.