Evening star., 1914-08-22
BRYAN EXPLAINS
CENSORSHIP! PLAN
Will Permit Germans to Send
Neutral Code Messages
by Wireless.

| Administration officials believed to-
day that they had found an equitable
solution of the wireless-cable. contro-
versy which has thus far. furnished the
most vexed question of neutrality for
the United States governments con-
sideration.
Haniet Won Haimhausen, charge
d'affaires Of the German embassy. had
long conference this afternoon with Sec
retary Bryan at which the plan drafted
by the offcials of the Washington gov
| ernment was submitted to him.
The suggestion which has been ad-
vanced after a careful examination Of
the legal aspects of the case at the De.
partment of Justice and international
law phases at the State Department IL
that no censorship be imposed on the
supervision be exercised over wireless
stations.
Will Permit Code.
Under the instructions to naval officers
placed in charge of the wireless stations
following President Wilson'S executive
order no code messages of any kind were
permitted to go to foreign countries. The
sages to be sent. but after the American
naval officer in charge had been satisfied
in some way yet to be determined OF the
neutral nature of the Information trans
mitted.
It was predicted here today that the
German government would not object to
the new plan and that 1t would be adopt
ed. The proposed method would give
German embassy officials and consuls an
oNtl yHyff h
Germany, and. 1t has been suggested,
might bring from Berlin more ofncial
news of the progress of the war from
the German viewpoint.
Debated by the Cabinet.
At first it was contended and vir-
tually decided that the American gov
ernment should apply equal censorship
on cables and wireless. The point was
debated in cabinet council, however,
and the conclusion was reached that
the cable did not stand In the same
relation as the wireless.
To censor the cables. moreover, it
was realized would mean stupendous
undertaking and could not interfere
with England's cable communication
through Canada. England protested
also against a possible censoring OF
the cables. claiming that Germany was
always at liberty to cut the cables
1T sea.
It was finally determined that while
under international law neutral gov
ernment was not required to censor
cable messages, it should protect it
I self against the unneutral use of wire
less stations as there was no physical
means for belligerents to interfere with
wireless messages when once sent from
neutral station.
Affects sayvil1e Only.
It was learned that the new plan would
affect only the sayville, L. l., station,
which is German owned. The other pow
erful station at Tuckerton. N. J., is not
now operating because 1t was discovered
that 1t had no license from this govern
ment, in accordance with commercial
regulations.
Whether such a license now will be
granted is matter Of conjecture. as it
is claimed at the British embassy here
that to grant a license to the Tuckerton
station would be violation of The Hague
convention. which forbids the erection Of
wireless stations on neutral territory after
the outbreak Of hostilities
Report on Maxatlan.
The circumstances attending the de-
| tention of the tramp steamer Mazatlan
in San Francisco harbor. after she had
tho German cruiser Leipzig, was the
basis Of a report from Rear Admiral
Pond to Secretary Daniels today.
Secretary Daniels will not disclose the
contents of the report until the legal
aspect of the case has been considered.
It was reported yesterday that the
prevent the Mazatlan from putting to
sea Secretary Daniels, however, de-
clined to confirm this report.
Secretary Daniels said that the ad-
ministration of the neutrality laws
rested with the civil department OF the
government, and that he had confined
his efforts to an instruction to Rear
Admiral Pond, commanding the naval
forces on the Pacific coast to assist
proper authority. without awaiting in
structions from Washington in each
case.