The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-11

AN SSAAs
became impatient. Woodrow Will
sons remark There is such a
thing as a man being too proud to
fight" furnished fuel for contro.
versy here and derision abroad.
The cabinet Of the president was
split. William Jennings Bryan re-
signed as Secretary of State.
AS time passed a Germany
made no complete apology or Of
fered no satisfactory disapproval of
the sinking, war feeling in many
sections of the country began to
take tangible form. The estrange-
ment between the two nations be-
came pronounced. Historians
agree the disaster was an import
ant factor in bringing the United
States into the war.
Before the Lusitania was sunk,
she had figured in an incident that
created a Juror here. While en-
route from New York to Liverpool
in February, 1915, the presence OF
German subs became known
to her commander and his ship flew
the stars and stripes for "a hours
across the Irish Sea.
The United States, in a note, re-
quested Great Britain to refrain
from using tie U. S. flag. Eng
land, in a conciliatory reply, said
such usage vas a well-established
ruse de guerre; that it would not
make it a general practice and
pointed out that during the Ameri-
can civil war the federal govern
ment had used the British flag in
similar circumstances.
On April %, the German en-
oassy at Washington printed adver-
tisements in leading newspapers
warning Americans that they trav-
eled on ships flying enem. flags in
the var zones at their own risk.
Germany, shortly before, had
announced her policy of unrestrict-
ed submarine warfare.)
Secretary of State Bryan took no
official notice Of the advertisements
although it became known, later,
that he had consulted with the pres
ident about it.
The Lusitania was scheduled to
sail from New York on May l. Not
a single cancellation was made in
her passenger list because of the
warning. Some passengers went
even after receiving anonymous
kilograms and letters advising
them not to S
Charles Klein, the n o t e d play
wright, who was drowned, said be-
fore sailing that he was not con-
cerned; that he expected to spend
his time thinking of his new play,
Potash and Perlmutter in So.
ciety."
Ebert Hubbard, famous publish
er of the Philistine (who was
drowned with his wife, jocularly
said that if the ship was torpedoed
he would be able to do justice to
the Kaiser in his magazine.
So the great liner sailed, with
had ITO water-tight compartments
which could be closed automatical-
ly IN a few seconds. The passen-
gers felt secure.
The war censorship was on then
as now-and nothing was heard
Of her after she left the harbor until
8 o'clock on the morning of May 7.
Then n of those untraceable
rumors familiar in newspaper Of
hces-rumors which seem to spring
up from nowhere-began to circu-
late in New York that she had been
attacked.
"Unconfirmed" reports began to
seep in. Finally, after long waiting
came the official report of the tor
pedoing. No details. First reports
from England yer reassuring as
to the loss Of life, if any.
AS the day wore on, excitement
mounted and anxiety increased.
Then came the shocking news of
the heavy casualties. A shudder
ran through the nation.
There was a panic on the New
York Stock Exchange. Bethlehem
Steel was off % poi n other war
stocks tumbled. At I .ago, wheat
dropped a cent a bushel.
1868 passengers and crew, to the
cheers of hundreds at her dock.
She was a big, graceful ship
785-foot sister of the old Mauritania
and held the blue ribbon for fast
Atlantic crossings.
With her cargo, including a ship
ment of gold, she was worth nearly
$11, 600, 600. The ship alone was in.
sured for 81, 500, 600.
Hundreds of weeping ONE and
grave-faced men besieged the Cum
ard offices in New York and Lon.
don. Newspaper offices were
swamped with queries as to the
fate Of passengers. The state de.
partment at Washington was sim
i1arly deluged.
At the headquarters of the AS
ISOLATED Press in New Y ork and
throughout the service editors and
reporters worked under an extra
strain. All knew that Herbert S.
Stone, magazine publisher, son of
their general manager, Melville E.
Stone, was a L~usitania passenger.
He persisted.
Inc Lusltania was within sight of
land when disaster came.
1t was a bright, sunshiny day.
lIhe passengers had just finished
their midday meal and were plan.
ming shore parties when the lookout
saw the first torpedo.
Captain William T. Turner, the
commander on the bridge, watched