The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-08
Await Names of Dead.

Await Names of Dead.
! by Robert j. Bender, United Press
Stat Correspondent
| WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-Hundreds
| of American homes today waited
anxiously for the names of more than
a hundred fighting boys believed to
have been lost on the torpedoed Tus'
CANA. AT an early hour the official
figures on the total missing still re.
manned at 21O.
British and American wireless sta
tons were searching the remotest
points in Ireland and Scotland in the
hope of locating further survivors
from the ill-fated ship.
Early today the war department OF
ficials were hard at work DECIDING a
mass of reports which came in during
the night. Out of these messages is
expected to develop the list OF those
who have been added to the nations
honor ROLAND details of the German
blow which brought their death.
Dispatches received at the state de-
partment show that the Teuton U
boat, sinking before a background OF
the north Ireland coast line and pro-
tected by the growing dusk of Tues
day evening, loosed her fatal torpedo
shortly before six o'clock.
According to early report, the U
boat was never seen. either by those
aboard the transport vessel or by the
convoy. That the delicate instru-
ments on these ships which warn Of
a submarines presence had registered
the danger, however, is indicated in
the order to all aboad the Tuscania
to go on deck before the torpedo
struck.
Thereafter the picture thus far pre-
scented throws a CLOWN glight over the
rescue work of the British destroyers
which saved the lives OF most Of the
American troops. SO far as is known,
no American destroyers were in the
convoy, participated in the rescue, or
were in the vicinity at the time of
the tragedy.
There was some tendency today to
criticize the war department for hold
ing up news of the disaster nearly
five hours before giving it out We'd
ensday night. The fact that the Tus-
cania had sent out SOS calls was
known here in diplomatic quarters
shortly after noon Wednesday and
the war department was understood
to have received its first word from
General Pershing between four and
five o'clock. Secretary Baker justified
delay in the announcement on the
ground that he had not received con-
tirmation of the attack from navy de-
partment officials abroad. Confirma-
ton had been received in diplomatic
quarters here by five o'clock that aft
ernoon.
New Battle Cry Of Victory.
LONDON, Feb. S.-''Remember the
Tuscania," will be an irresistible call
to the colors and battle cry of victory
for the Americans in the war, London
newspapers declared today. All edi-
tortal comment sympathized with
America over the Tuscania dead and
demanded most strenuous measures
for speeding up the fight against the
U boats.
Increased ship building was urged.
Newspapers urged the confidence of
the allies that submarines can be
conquered.
The U boat which sank the Tus-
cania did a bad days work for Ger
many said the Express. Americas
mind was in the war before. Now her
soul is enlisted against the kaiser.
L
resistible call to the colors and battle
cry"
The Telegraph declared it was not
believed that the enemy's under sea
offensive against the essential line
of communications between the Unit
ed States and the front would meet
with cumulative success, but we
must be prepared, perhaps, for long
period of ups and downs and conflicts.
This has become a war Of transport
particularly sea transport
Statesmen who are inclined to be
optimistic over the submarine cam
paign should keep their lips closed
warned the Chronicle "a bad week
follows every such statement"
Major Wade Saved.
AN IRISH PORT, Feb. S.-Major
Wade, senior American military off,
Ger, aboard the torpedoed Tuscania.
was saved, it was learned here to-
day.
confusIoi, of Cabesrams.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.-There
were 2,177 military passengers on
the Tuscania, consisting of ut Off
GERS and 1850 enlisted men and two
civilian passengers, according to a
revised list today Confusion in Off
cial cables from London is admitted.
To allay apprehension of those hay
ing relatives with the 10th regiment
of engineers, incorrectly reported as
being aboard the Tuscania, the COM
mittee on public information an
nounced that it was the 10th engi-
neer train of the 32nd division which
was aboard.