The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-02-17

+, British steamer AzuI, vessel of s,Ul4
tons, is reported as probably sunk
The steady stream of reports telling
of the destruction of merchant ships
by submarines was brought to eli
max tonight by the cabIegram from
Consul Frost announcing that the Cali
fornia had been torpedoed without
warning with an American citizen
aboard. The California, which was
bound from New York for Glasgow,
is the first big passenger steamer to
be destroyed since the Arabic was tor
pedoed in the Mediterranean months
ago. Her sinking has about swept
away the last lingering hope here that
Germany, after all, would permit pas
senger carriers to escape IN an effort
to avoid driving the United States to
hostilities.
Fear It's the Overt Act?
Whether this will prove to be the
overt act to drive the United States
into war, no one would attempt to say
tonight. President Wilson, who must
make the decision, had retired when
the news came and officials did not
waken him
Cabinet Discusses Break
Washington, Feb. Every phase
of the situation which at any hour
may bring the United States to war
with Germany was discussed by Presi-
dent Wilson and his advisers at to-
days Cabinet meeting. The faint
hope that Germany after all might
modify its new submarine campaign
so as to avoid making an active en-
envy of America was touched upon,
but most of the Cabinets attention
was given to reports by each member
upon the energetic efforts of his de-
partment to prepare for war if it is
to come.
Preliminary reports of the sinking
of the British steamer Eavestone and
the killing of an American negro sea-
man are not regarded as establishing
such ca6e as would be the signal for
hostiiities. A brief dispatch from
Wesley Frost, American consul at
Queenstown, today announced the de-
struction of the ship and the killing
Of the American sailor by shells strik-
ing boat which had just left the
vessel.
Await More Complete Details.
A complete report will be awaited,
but officials believe that circum-
stances surrounding this incident indi-
cate an attempt on the part of the
Eavestone to resist or escape from an
attacking submarine. There also is
involved the question of whether the
ship was in the service of the British
government. The consul's dispatch re-
ferred to her as a provisional col
lier," but as the term collier is used
abroad in speaking of coal carrying
craft generally, not much Significance
is attached to the consuPs descrip-
ton. Moreover, it is suggested that
the message might have been garbled
on the cable
The position of the government was
said to be still one of waiting after
the Cabinet meeting. 1t was stated
officially that there had been no de-
velopments to change that attitude
Won't Notify Germany.
It also was explained authoritatively
that the next step of the United States,
if one is necessary, viii be taken with
out addressing any inquiry to Ger
many. If American lives or ships are
Illegally destroyed by the Germans,
action will follow as soon as the fact
is established to the Presidents salts
faction.
Entente diplomatic representatives
here allowed it to become known to-
day that while highly gratified over
the break with Germany, they were
not at all eager to see the United
States actually drawn into the war.
They frankly expressed a growing fear
that Germany deliberately precipitated
the rupture for the purpose of starting
military preparations in America and
thereby cutting off munitions and sup
plies from the Allies.