The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-09
ENGLAND SEES
ANTI-U. S. ACTS
DEMANDING WAR
Come Within Scope Prescribed
by Wilson as Hostile.
British Indignation Highest
Now Since Lusitania,
CLAIM u, S, CHILDREN VICTIMS
Two and Mother, a Naturallzed
American, Lose Lives.
Confident England Will Soon
Overcome U-BOat Raids.
CLAIM U. S. CHILDREN VICTIMS
Two and Mother, a Naturallzed
American, Lose Lives.
Confident England Will Soon
Overcome U-BOat Raids.
By ED l.. KEEN.

london Feb 9-England consid-
ers that Germany has committed at
least two overt acts" coming within
the scope of those supposed TO nave
been set by President Wilson as de-
manding the succeeding step from the
; United states of a war declaration
AGAINST the kaisers government.
The detention of Ambassador Ge-
rard * held by a number of London
nevspa pers today to be the most seri-
Gus affront to the United States which
Berlin mas offered to date. only one
. of the london newspapers was advised
. OF. the Berlin governments action in
announcing that passports would be
ready for Gerard.
Rut whether or not Germany final
IL does grant the passports. the fact
re mains that for considerable time
s,iich diplomatic courtesy was denied
tho representatiVe of the United States
government such course Is con-
frcrv to all international usage ana
was regarded here 4 deliberate IN
suit to the honor and dignity of the
United States.
Classcd rs Overt Acts.
Coming within the scope of covert
acts" as construed by the London
t,ress Is the sinking of such ships as
I'd
sl,N warming, The fact that both
rhese vessels carried Americans was
REGARDED here as placing such attacks
directly in the classification of those
which President Wilson has limited
would be regarded as a cause for war.
Not since the Lusitania was sunk,
with her death roll of women and
children, has there been such a wave
of indignation thruout England as
that which greeted today's publica-
ton of the detailed stories of surviv-
or of the California.
The survivors stories differ as to
the number of submarines concerned
in the unwarned attack. Most of the
crew said there were two. Passen-
gers however, all thought there was
but one. Two torpedoes were fired,
but onlv lone struck. This hit the
liner in a vital spot. with a terrific eX
plosion, tearing her hull so much that
she sank within seven minutes.
There were at least three Americans
on board the California; negro fire
man and two children of a naturaIized
American. These last two children,
with their mother, were among the
forty-one persons who were lost.
The same circumstances as to lack
of warning and of Americans being
aboard obtained in the case of the
steamer Turino. Embassy information
today indicated that two members of
this vessels crew were American citi-
zens
Extremes of FrightfuIncss.
Not only were the cases of the Cali
fornia and the Turino cited eX-
tremes of German ''frightfulness' but
The complete story of the attack by
the German submarine on Hfeboats
carrying the Eavestone's survivors
was believed to give true index of the
utter disregar I'd of all principles of in
tefnational law and the common law
of humanity animating Germany.
Satisfaction is generally expressed
here at the measures which have been
taken by the admiralty to combat the
German submarine menace. 1t was
tO~be expected that the U-boats initial
activity would be large. Ships which
were en- route to the barred zone"
We're not fully prepared to repeal at
tack nor to have other protection
planned. From now on, England ex-
poets to see steady decrease in the
total of sinkings. The utmost conf
dence is expressed in the British gov
ernments measures of protection.