Show nr U MANY 11 n i TO IU EXPLAIN questioned AS TO WHETHER STEAMERS WERE SUNK BY GERMAN submarines no action has been taken by the president which in any sene sense may be considered as a a demand or a pretext protest washington secretary lansing IN with ith the approval of president wilson Wl lson has ambassador gerard to inquire of germany whether any of 0 its submarines torpedoed the british channel steamer sussex upon which twenty five american citizens were traveling or the british horse ship englishman which went down with a loss of cae cne Ame american Amerl cin life As the situation now stands the united states has no conclusive proof that a submarine attacked either ship but all evidence at hand In indicates dicatos that both were torpedoed without warning upon the response ot of the berlin foreign office to mr gerard gerards a inquiry may depend the next step of the american government at this time it Is made clear that no action has been taken which in any sense may be construed as a demand or r a protest president wilson laid all the state departments reports on an the subject before his cabinet it was after the meeting that secretary lansine allowed it to become known that it had been determined to make an inquiry of the german government later it was learned that instructions already had been forwarder forwarded to ambassador gerard |