v REVULSION OF FEELING
SWEEPING AM ERICA M AY
FORCE DECISIVE ACTION
i "“Will Sinking of Lusitania Prove Another Maine Disaster?”
" Washington Is Asking—Official Circles Realize Sinking of
Liner and Destruction of American Lives Presents Most
1 Serious Crisis of War So Far as This Country Is Con
cerned—Judgment Reserved.
COURSE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE NOT KNOWN
President and Cabinet Confer and There Is Talk That an Extra
Session of Congress May Be Called—Believed This Is
Forerunner of Similiar Attacks Yet to Come—Adminis
tration Leaders Plainly Fear Public Opinion Will Sweep
Government Off Its Feet, It Is Said.
/ _
[From The Tribune Bureau.]
Washington, May 8.—Stunned, astounded and appalled by the
horror of the fate of the Lusitania, torpedoed unwarned off the Irish
coast, official Washington today is squarely face to face with the
gravest international situation which it has confronted since the Eu
ropean war opened.
It is impossible to predict with any certainty what will be the
consequences of the carefully planned attack on the great liner, which
has resulted in sending many hundreds of noncombatants, of women
1 and children, including, apparently, many Americans, to the bottom.
4 “Will the sinking of the Lusitania prove another Maine disas
ter?” That is the question Washington is asking since the latest dis
patches have swept away the earlier reassurance and have made plain
the scope of one of the greatest marine catastrophes of the cntury.
What the administration plainly fears is that American public
opinion, roused at last from its lethargy, will flare up in a flame of
indignation that will sweep the government off its feet.
It is recognized that although it is
possible to say, from a technical view
point. that the case of the torpedoeing
of the Lusitania is not greatly differ
ent from the Thrasher case, in so far
m as the Americans who have lost their
J lives are concerned, yet, from the
™ standpoint of moral effects, this is an
utterly different proposition.
Opinions here are at variance as to
what will follow, so far as government
al action is concerned. Many believe
the administration will be driven to call
an extra session of congress. President
Wilson will consult with his cabinet
leaders, today, and other advisers.
Thus far, it Is not admitted that an
extra session will be called.
Opinion is general here that the tor
pedoeing of the Lusitania is the prel
ude to other similar attacks and that
Washington has to face not only this
affair, but that it will probably have to
face others like it.
X. Officials, with Ups sealed but worn
® and haggard, as If from a sleepless
night, are thus far saying little and
making no predictions. They are ask
ing for reservation of Judgment until
the facta can be had and to be allowed
time to act, not on Impulse, but in the
light of complete evidence.
"The administration will not act has
tily. Twenty-five years from now his
tory would not Justify us if we went
to war with Germany over this affair.”
This comment from one of the high
•est and strongest men in administra
tion circles indicated clearly today that
the president and his advisers will try
in the crisis caused by sinking the
Lusitania to take a careful and delib
erate course and will try to calm the
public.
More clearly than ever it became
plain that the administration will try
to hold down public opinion and avoid
a breach of relations with Germany,
and that officials are apprehensive in
the turmoil caused by the submarining
of the Cunard liner that public indig
nation will bring great pressure to bear
upon the government.
Demand Explanation of Germany;
Calmness Urged Upon Americans
Washington, May 10.—The United
Btates will today direct Ambassador
Gerard to make inquiry of the Ger
man government for its report of the
facts concerning the sinking of the Lu
sitania. This became known after con
ferences between higli officials.
The ambassador will be instructed to
make his preliminary inquiry as a basis
for whatever steps may eventually be
taken. High officials privately said the
situation was very grave.
The usual course would be for Am
bassador Gerard to ask the German
foreign office and the German admir
alty informally for the reports they
have received from the commanders of
the German submarines. That would
be apart from any explanation which
may be asked later from Germany as
to her reasons or purposes in the act.
Officials at the state department pre
pared the instruction to Ambassador
Gerard, which will be brief and will be
dispatched some time today.
"We are infoming ourselves as rap
idly as possible regarding Oie Lusi
r tania matter.” said Secretary Bryan to
I day, "and we are doing what we can
for those injured. We will get all the
l information we can."
Chairman Stone, of the Senate fore
ign relations committee, made a state
ment today which in part is as fol
lows:
"It seems to me that good sense
dictates that we keep our heads until
we get our bearings. It is a bad time
to get rattled and act impulsively. We
can not overlook the fact that the Lusi
tania was a British ship flying the
British flag and subject at any time
to be put into actual naval service of
the government. Indeed, it is stated
that at the time she was attacked she
was carrying military reservists to
Kngland for service in the British army.
True, there were American citizens
aboard, but it must not be forgotten |
that they went aboard a belligerent I
ship with full knowledge of the risk '
and after official warning by the Ger- j
man government. When on board a |
British vessel they were on British soil, i
Was not their position substantially
equivalent to being within the walls of
a fortified city?
1 exprrSS HU upilHUH ai uuo unit.
am merely suggesting reasons why we
should maintain our equilibrium and
not 'rock the boat’ until we know what
we arc about.
"Aside from the possible loss of
American lives, let us ask ourselves
just where we come In. At the present
moment and with the light now before
me. I confess that it appears to me that
I from our standpoint as a neutral na
tion. the tlulfllght case presents a more
del irate and serious complication than
the raso of the Lusitania.”
Among senators at the capital there
was a general feeling of alarm, but all
refrained from entering into public dis
cussion while awaiting developments.
The opinion prevailed that the loss of
American lives and the manner in
which the Lusitania was destroyed
would arouse public opinion tremen
dously.
Secretary Bryan reached his office
early and immediately went into con
mulattd because of the scarcity of in
formation of an official character.
The fact that the Lusitania was a
British ship, firing a I ritish flag and
had contraband of war aboard, did not
reinovi from the minds of officials the
ever recurrent thought that a hostile
soil murine deliberately destroyed the
• with knowledge that hundreds
. r ip fenseless neutrals and women and
, '.ipjren ■ ere aboard.
I per—where that aspect over
> ..imd tile legal phase of the ease,
f bile there Is said to be no pre
cedent in international .law for the at
tack without warning on a belligerent
merchantman, it was realized that de
fense mi«rht be made on the charge that
guns were mounted on the deck. That,
however, the British government has
denied.
in many quarters it was thought
probable representations to Germany
will be general, covering all the cases
of attack on American vessels.
In official quarters and among diplo
matists. there was apprehension that
Lhe American people might not consider
representations sufficient. A special
session of congress has been talked of,
but there ha* oeen no intimation of it
is yet from any official quarter.
FIVE-GENT BREAK IN
THE PRICE OF WHEAT
Slump Due to Sinking of Lusi
tania — British Freight
Ships Held Up.
Chicago, May 8.—A break of more
than 5 cents a bushel in the wheat
market today was attributed chiefly to
trade disturbances due to the sinking
of th.e Lusitania. July wheat, which
closed last night at $1.31, sold down
today to below $1.26.
It was said a large number of British
freight steamers about to sail from the
United States had been stopped tem
porarily.
The extieme fall in wheat was near
ly 6 cents before the collapse ended.
July touched $1.25%, a total descent of
5%c. In the end the market was rally
ing, with July final quotations $1.26%,
The Ontario government has made a
law that every motion picture operator
must put in a full year’s apprenticeship
before receiving a license to carry on
that trade. Motion picture theaters are
Increasing so rapidly in that province
that the inspector is calling for the ap
pointment of an assistant.
GERMAN PRESS PRAISES :
SINKING OF LUSITANIA;
■■ i
Berlin Newspapers In Colossal Type Hail Feat as “New Triumph \
of Germany’s Naval Policy” and Declare That “England 1
Has Got What She Deserved,” Says Copenhagen.
London, May 8.—The Exchange Telegraph company has re- i
reived today the following telegram from Copenhagen: '
“Berlin newspapers print the news of the sinking of the Lusi- <
tania in colossal type and hail the successful torpedoing of the ship t
as a new triumph for Germany’s naval policy. The general impres
sion is that. England has <rot what she deserves.’’ ..
The Exchange Telegraph company
has receh'ed a dispatch from Rerlin by
way of Amsterdam, which reads.
“Hundreds of telegrams of congratu
lation are being sent to Admiral Von
Tlrpitz. the German minister of ma
rine, on the sinking of the Lusitania.
which is considered by the Germans to 1
be an answer to the destruction of the t
German squadron off the Falkland isl- c
ands. |
“The news of the loss of the Lusl- s
tanla was received with mixed expres- c
slons of amazement and enthusiaaiu." i
CRISIS AVERTED BY
CHINESE PRESIDENT
I
YUAN SHI KAI.
President Yuan haa yielded to the
Japanese demands, thereby averting
war between China and Japan.
CHINA GIVES
UP TO JAPAN;
AVERTS WAR
Modified Demands of Mikado
Backed By Ultimatum Bring
Quick Response From
Peking.
Peking, May 10.—China haa yielded to
the Japanese demanrs and war in the ;
Orient is believed to have been definit
ely averted. China’s reply to the Jap
anese ultimatum will go forward late
today or Sunday. The demands will be .
accepted without qualification. The ,
government expects no serious revolu
tionary outbreak as the result of yield
ing to Japan.
PERILOUS DEMANDS ARE ,
WITHDRAWN BY JAPANESE
Tokio, May 8.—In presenting its ulti
matum to China. Japan omitted from
the present negotiations all items in I
group 6 of the amended list of demands
with the exception of the portion deal- 1
ing with concessions in Fu-kein, on
which an agreement already has been
reached. The demands in group 5 are
reserved for future discussion.
Group 5 includes the stipulations
against which China raised the most
vigorous objections. The decision of
Japan to defer these matters is made
known in an official communication of
3,500 words, which was issued here to
day in regard to the Japanese ulti
milium.
The principal provisions of group 5
have to do with the appointment of
Japanese military and political advls- 1
ers for China and for Japanese super
vision over the manufacture or pur
chase by China of munitions of war.
Washington, May 7.—Official advices
received here late yesterday were to
the effect that a crisis of the far east
had been averted, that Japan had mod
ified her demands and that China will |
accept them. 1
Before the terms of th.e agreement
are finally concluded, however, an ex- .
pression of opinion is expected by the ‘
United States from Great Britain,
France and Russia, as the allies of Ja
pan, as to whether the interests which
the leading powers have had in the
maintenance of the territorial integrity
of China, or the “open door” policy,
have been in any way affected.
The American ambassadors at I,on
don, Paris and Petrograd have been
instructed to learn the attitude of the
powers, which, like the United States,
are pledged to maintain the territorial
status quo In China and the freedom
of commercial opportunity. Inasmuch
as Japan and Germany are at war. the
latter country was not consulted at
this time, but later may be Included
in th,e American government’s corre
spondence on the question.
Officials were silent as to the com
munications that had been sent abroad,
but It is known that it was desired be
fore negotiations were ended to consult
the other powers, in view of the pecu
liar relationship existing between them
and the United States in connection
with Chinese affairs.
703 OF 1,919 ARE SAVED:
CLAIMED LINER HAD NO
WARNING OF DISASTER
LIBAU, SLAV
PORT, TAKEN
BY GERMANS
70,000 Russians Captured In
Carpathians, Claim—British
Repulse Attack and
Gain Ground.
Berlin, (via Bondon), May 10.—Offi
cial announcement was made at the
3erman war office today that the city
Jf Bibau, In the province of Courland,
Ftussla, has been captured by the Ger
mans.
In the capture of Bibau the Germans
have gained one of the main objects
3f their Invasion of the Baltic prov
'nces of Russia. This movement was
designed to occupy Bibau and Riga,
which would enable the Germans to
harass Russian communications with
Petrograd.
Bibau Is an Important seaport and
Industrial center. It Is about 76 miles
xlong the seacoast from the German
border.
The text of the communication fol
lows:
"On the greater part of the front
there were yesterday the usual artil
lery duels, which In certain places,
namely at Ypres, north of Arras, In
the Argonne, and In the hills of the
Meuse. Increased In violence from time
to time.
"An Infantry battle took place In the
Vosges. Only In this section did the
French attack our positions. At Stein
brueelt, on both sides or tne valley or
[he river Fecht, they attacked after a
preliminary fire of artillery which last
Pd for hours. All these attacks re
sulted in our favor, with heavy losses
[o the French.
"In the eastern theater of the war:
1'he troops we sent against the city of
jlbau took possession of this town yes
erday. Sixteen hundred prisoners, 18
•annon and four machine guns fell In
o our hands.
“In the southeastern theater of the
var: The pursuit of the defeated enemy
>y the army under General Mackensen
ind such troops of our allies as Joined
his army, was continued steadily
hroughout yesterday. Our advance
’orces crossed the River Wisloka in the
lelghborhood of Krosno yesterday eve
ling.
“The Joint action of all parts of the
irmy engaged in tills advance led to
he cutting off of not inconsiderable
Russian forces. Consequently the total
lumber of prisoners taken in the
laliclan arena since the end of April
ihould so far have been Increased to
ibout 70,000 men. Thirty-eight cannon,
ncluding nine of heavy caliber, have
>een taken from the Russians."
MANY NOTED
PERSONS ON
DEATN LIST
\lfred G. Vanderbilt, Charles
Frchman, Charles Klein, Her
bert S. Stone, H. L. Fisher
Are Among Missing.
VIANY OTHERS AMONG DEAD
jist of Survivors Fails to Show
Names of Many Prominent
Americans and Titled
Europeans.
Washington, May 8.—American
Consul Frost, at Cork, cabled the
state department late today that
among the list of identified dead of
the Lusitania’s American passen
gers were Charles Frohman, Mrs.
Amelia McDonald and Patrick
Gallon.
London, May 10.—Alfred Gwynne
anderbilt apparently perished when
lie Lusitania went down, according to
message to Ambassador Page, from
lie United States consul at Queens
iwn.
London, May 10, 4:48 a. m.—The
"lines Queenstown correspondent says
hat some of the survivors who have
rrived there report that Alfred Gwinn
Vanderbilt was drowned.
Queenstown, May 8, 4:36 a. m.—Ev
ry effort to find Alfred Gwinne Van
lerbilt and Charles Frohman among
he survivors of the Lusitania landed
lere has failed.
New York. May 8.-“-Herbert Stuart
itone, elder son of the general man
ger of the Associated Press, is an
ther American passenger not aecount
(1 for. Young Mr. Stone was well
mown as the one time head of the book
tublishing firm of H. S. Stone & Co.,
rnd the founder and editor of the Chap
took and the House Beautiful, two
uccessful magazines.
Washington, May S.—Dr. Howard L.
'"isher, brother of Walter I,. Fisher,
nrnior secretary of the interior, who
,-as on the Lusitania, going to the
Imerican Red Cross unit in Belgium,
allied to his wife here from Queens
own today that he was safe and well.
A state biological survey, suggested
y the < >hio academy of science, is be
lg undertaken with state appropria
ion of $2 500; a number of the colleges
f the state arc co-operating. The
reparation of duplicate material and
sparate collections for the colleges and
they educational institutions is the
rimary pature of the work.
Many Noted Persons Among Victims of Submersible Attacl
Off Coast of Ireland Which Sent Giant Cunarder to Botton
Within Few Minutes—Two of Four Instruments of De
struction Fired at Range of 1,000 Yards, Declared to Have
Found Their Mark.
FIRST CABIN PASSENGERS DISPLAY HEROISM
Wealthy Travelers Last to Leave Sinking Vessel—Women and
Children Put Off In First Boats—Scores Reported to Have
Been Wounded By Explosions In Ship’s Holds—Many
Drowned Struggling In Water—Many Die After Reaching
Shore—Queenstown Vast Morgue.
London, May 8.—1:51 p. m.--The British gov
ernment today made the following announcement:
“The statement appearing in some newspapers
that the Lusitania was armed is wholly false.”
London, May 8.—More than 1,200 persons lost their lives, th«
British admiralty estimates, when the Cunard line steamship Lusi
tania was torpedoed and sunk yesterday afternoon off Old Head,
Kinsale, on the Irish coast.
This statement was given out by the admiralty today :
“The best available information sets forth that the Lusitania
had aboard 1,241 passengers and a crew of 665. This gives a total of
1,919 souls on board the liner when she was torpedoed.
“An admiralty statement this morning placed the number of sur
vivors at 658. Later a report from Ireland said 45 more had been
brought in, making 703 known survivors and a death list of 1,216.”
Of those who were saved, 640 were landed at Queenstown, 11 at
Kinsale and 52 others are reported to be aboard a steamer. It is pos
sible that a few others have been landed by fishing boats at other
points. One dispatch said that several survivors had been landed on
i i li__J
ouvereigii lsituiu, nctii uoucju^ou.
In addition to the living brought
ashore, the bodies of 45 who died of In
juries or were drowned, have been
landed at Queenstown. Five more are
at Klnsale and It has been reported that
an armed trawler accompanied by two
Ashing boats had picked up 100 oth
ers. The work of compiling the list
of those saved Is progressing slowly be
cause of the Indescribable confusion at
Queenstown. But apparently few Arst
cabin passengers are among the sur
vivors.
The United States consul at that
port can account for only 51 Amer
icans saved out of 188 who were
aboard. His roll does not include
the names of Alfred Gyynne Van
derbilt, Charlee Frohman, Elbert
Hubbard, Justus Miles Forman, the
author, or Charles Klein, the play
wright. Of these Americans 106
were in the first cabin; 65 in sec
ond and 17 in the steerage.
First Cabin Last To Leave.
The heavy loss of life among the Arst
cabin passengers Is believed to have
been due to the calmness and self
possession they displayed In face of
danger. Most of them were at luncheon
when the steamer received her death
blow and declined to Join the rush for
the boats and life belts. They be
lieved the Cunarder would remain
afloat until assistance could arrive. A
considerable proportion of those at
Queenstown are members of the crew,
Including Captain Turner with the Arst
and second officers. All the other of
Acers are believed to have perished.
There Is no evidence, however, that
the time honored rule of the sea, "women
and children Arst,” was violated. At
least one of the survivors, a Toronto
newspaperman, gives evidence that
there was no panic among the crew and
that the sailors acted promptly In
getting the passengers Into the ship’s
boats.
Apparently every precaution had been
taken against a surprise attack by a
submarine. Lookouts were on the alert
constantly as the giant steamship
speeded toward the Irish coast. Diffi
culty was experienced In launching the
boats because of the heavy list of the
Lusitania almost immediately after she
was torpedoed. Several of the frail
craft evidently capsized as they were
launched, or soon afterwards.
Many of the passengers owed their
rescue to life belts, which kept them
afloat until they were picked up by
boats. Among this number was Lady
Mackworth, daughter of David T.
Thomas, the Welsh "coal king", and
Julian De Ayala, Cuban consul gen
eral at Liverpool.
Had No Warning.
Investigation has failed to reveal
that the steamer was given warn
ing of the proposed attack by the
submarine, which appears to have
been lurking off tne Irish coast
bent upon destroying the largest
and fastest ship engaged in trans
Atlantic traffic.
Tlin Irw.lrmitu a ( ir Is t tv rl fha norloCfinA Cit
a submersible 1,000 yards away and the |
next instant they saw the trail left by j
a torpedo as it flashed on its course. ,
Then came a terrific crash as the mis
sile pierced the liner's side, followed
almost immediately by another, which
littered the decks with wreckage.
The course of the liner was at once
turned towards shore. Four torpedoes
apparently were fired at the Lusitania,
but only two of them found their mark.
The loss of life caused by the torpe
does themselves, and the explosions
they caused, must have been terribly
heavy. The tragic freight of bodies ta
ken to Queenstown bears evidence of
the havoc wrought. Many of those ta
ken ashore were seriously injured and
more than a score died after they were
removed to Cork and Queenstown hos
pitals.
A long line of stretcher bearers
marched from the piers as tugs and j
trawlers arrived. The people of the I
Irish city opened their homes to those
who had been saved and everything
possible is being done for their comfort.
Probably no event of the war has
caused such intense excitement in Lon
don as the sinking of the Lusitania.
Enormous crowds surrounded offices of
the Cunard line all night, scanning
anxiously the bulletins received from
Queenstown. The company announced
that an accurate list of survivors would
be compiled as speedily as possible, but
that the immediate needs of thrtse saved
were being given first attention.
The press of London expresses in
tense indignation at the tragedy.
Queenstown, May 8, (via London).—
The various craft that yesterday went
out from here to the scene of the Lusi
tania disaster, returned to Queenstown
last night and early this morning. All
of them brought survivors In greater
or lesser number. It Is now estimated
here that 600 will be the outside num
ber of those saved. No trace has been
found of either Alfred G. Vanderbilt or
Charles Frohman.
The latest rescue boats to arrive are
bringing mostly bodies of the dead
picked up from the water at the scene
of the disaster. The dead now here
number 124 and many of them are
women.
The naval and military authorities o(
Queenstown are rendering every assist
ance possible In the removal of dead
and In assisting the injured to hos
pitals. The manager of the Cunard
line has taken ample hotel accommo
dations, as well as rooms In lodging
houses, and here the surviving rfe be
ing sent. Queenstown has never wit
nessed such a scene before. The dead
are being conveyed to morgues and un
dertaking establishments and numbers
of motor cars have been brought Into
service to take the injured to hospitals.
The less serious injured are being
helped ashore by sailors and soldiers.
Both men and women rescued. If they
are able to walk, refuse to remain in
their hotels. They haunt the docks,
waiting and watching for friends and
relatives.
Many of the survivors are still be
wildered from their terrible experience
and their accounts of the sinking of
the Lusitania are not entirely clear. It
Is to be noted, however, that one and
all unite in eulogizing the manner In
which the ship's officers behaved. Five
minutes after the Lusitania was hit
with the second torpedo amidships, she
had listed to such an extent that the
lifeboats on one side could not be
launched at all. The work of getting
as many people as possible, for the
most part women and children. Into the
lifeboats that could be got clear was
at once undertaken by the captain and
officers and men of the Lusitania, and
performed efficiently and with heroism.
The scene as the big liner went down
is described by the survivors as heart
rending beyond words. Battling for life,
the passengers called to relatives or
friends or bid each other goodby. The
small boats which had gotten away
from the side of the liner picked up a
good many survivors, who with life
belts or clinging to wreckage, were
floating on the surface of the water.
But soon the boats were all crowded.
Those boats were In turn picked up by
rescuing steamers coming at full speed
from shore points, but In many cases
four or more hours elapsed before res
cuers reached the scene. In many cases
the only work left for the rescue work
ers to do was to collect from the water
the floating bodies of the dead. Sev
eral passengers were taken aboard
trawlers severely injured, only to die
before thev could be transferred ashore.
SAVED BY A “HUNCH.”
Boston. May 8-—A premonition of dis
aster was responsible for the fact that
Edward B. Bowen, a wealthy shoe
dealer, whose name appears on the
"list of saloon cabin passengers who
sailed on the Lusitania.'’ heard reports
at his home in Newton of the disaster
to the liner. "Friday night,” he ex
plained, "a feeling grew upon me that
something was going to happen on the
Lusitania. I talked it over with Mrs. ■
Bowen and decided to cancel passage.”
RESCUE BOAT SWAMPED.
Dublin. May 8.—The motorboat.
Elizabeth, has arrived at Kinsale and
reports that at 3:30 o’clock yesterday
afternoon she picked up two lifeboats
containing 63 and 16 survivors of the
Lusitania, respectively. A Cork tug took
the rescued to Queenstown. They were
mostly women and children. The pas
sengers said that, owing to her list to
port, the Lusitania could not launch
many of her lifeboats.
188 AMERICANS ON BOARD.
New York, May 8.—There were 18*
American passengers in all aboard the
Lusitania, according to a compilation
made late yesterday at the Cunard of
fices. The British numbered 956, and
other nationalities made up the re
mainder of the 1,253 passengers aboard.
X BULLETINS. }
,111' c 1 > * A A A. A
BATTERIES SILENCED.
Pari*. May 8.—A dispatch from Ten
edos to the Havas agency says that al
though the bombardment of the Dar
danelles forts is being continued by
the allied fleet, all of the Turkish bat
teries as far up the straits as Nagara,
at the end of the narrows nearest Con
stantinople, have ceased firing and ap»
parently have been destroyed.
