The Washington herald., 1917-03-23
i. S. SHIP SUNK; LOST
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

e o
was landed. The location Of the sink.
east of the line of demarcation across
the North Sea drawn by the German gov.
ernment In Its declaration Of renewed
ruthlessness. His dispatch said:
Dutch tank steamer La Campine. oil
Rotterdam, owned by American Petro-
leum Company. en- route Rotterdam fol
New York, with water ballast. Gustav
Claude, captain. American, reported
stopped by gunfire. and sunk by gun.
fire. by German submarine, March Is, In
North Sea, in safe zone. Latitude 81
degrees. north; longitude degrees. q
minutes east. Entire crew, % hours In
boats, saved"
Nation MobiIizinE
Quietly and deliberately all the forces
of the administration last night were
concentrated on the task Of mobilizing
the man-power. money-power, and indus
trial-power of the United States to defend
the rights OF its citizens at sea. Re-
ports of various diplomatic maneuvers
by Germany met with studied silence at
the White House and the State Depart
ment, and the eXertions toward putting
the country on war basis were re-
doubled.
The report of an offer of mediation by
a European neutral to settle the contro-
versy between the United States and Ger
many met with anything but an encour-
aging reception. 1t was stated that the
United States has in no way changed its
position. set forth months ago. when the
Lusitania was destroyed, that the muir
der of American citizens cannot be arbi-
trated or mediated.
The report, which was circumstantial,
met with absolute silence so far as ON
cial announcements were concerned but
unofflcially practically every authority in
the administration declared that media
ton would be hatly rejected unless It
was accompanied by a complete aban-
donment OF the unlawful killing Of Amer
lean citizens, and the unlawful destruc-
ton of American shipping, by German
submarines.
Stand by Declaration.
1t was stated that the State Depart
ment will stand by its declaration made
in reply to informal peace negotiations
instituted by Swiss Minister Ritter rep
resenting the German government.
In replying to that proposal, Secretar,
Lansing, at the Presidents direction,
notified Germany that no negotiate of
any nature would be undertaken while
the German ruthless submarine cam
paign continued. Yesterdays mediation
proposal II was understood, came through
Sweden. recognized as the most pro-Ger-
man in sentiment of all the European
neutrals. 1t was transmitted, according
to the report. to Minister Ira Nelson
Norris at Stockholm, after German
diplomats in Sweden had gone over the
matter with the Swedish foreign office.
It was understood that Germany had
evinced her willingness to accept the
good ONCE Of Sweden in negotiations
with the United States. Last night,
however the administration took the
position that no mediation. no arbitration
could be considered. as long as Germany
continued her unwarranted destruction
OF American lives and American ship
ping. The report failed to stir Washing
ton from its preparedness path.
Failed to Respond.
The administration likewise failed to
respond to seemingly authoritative reports
that Germany was considering an i'm
mediate declaration of war. 1t was point
ed out that with two weeks yet to pass
before Congress can take definite action
on the German crisis, Germany by an i'm
mediate declaration might gain an ad-
vantage by striking at once. while the
preparedness plans of this country were
still uncompleted.
The reports received some credence but
u failed to cause undue excitement. The
administration moved deliberately with
full consideration of the dire possibilities
in the future, and with a determination
that was clearly apparent, toward pre-
paredness.
There was considerable anxiety last
night over unofficial reports that some
misfortune had befallen the cruiser Des
Moines, the gunboat Scorpion and the
collier Caesar. in Turkish waters
A rumor that the Des Moines had been
sunk prompted hurry-up dispatches to
Ambassador Elkus at Constantinople ask
ing for information as to the little group
of American warships They have been
awaiting a safe conduct for passage
through the Mediterranean war zone to
carry relief to a thousand American
refugees at Beirut