The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-08
REDFIELD MIKES UP
NEUTRALITY RULES
Commerce Department Issues
Orders Conflicting With
Presidents Proclamation.
ACTION CAUSES SURPRISE
Instructions to Port Authorities
Will Have to Be With
drawn and Corrected.

WASHINGTON, Aug. Am Increasing
lack OF cooperation between the several
departments OF the Government charged
with dealing with conditions caused by
the war IN Europe eliminated to-day in
the issuance by the Department of Com
merce of Instructions to port authorities
hagrantly inconsistent with and contrary
TO the Presidents neutrality prools nation
and the obligations OF the United States
under the Hague conventions.
II was Indicated Tonight that the regu.
lations issued by the Department of Com
merce regarding the conditions under
which ships may leave United States ports
IN the present situation will be promptly
withdrawn and corrected
Great surprise was shown by state De-
partment officials this afternoon when the
action Of the Secretary Of Commerce be-
| came known. Information as to what the
! Department Of Commerce had done was
! gained by the State Department. not from
the former Department but through the
! newspapers.
! The Department OF Commerce very
! properly undertook to instruct its repre-
sentatives to cooperate with agents or the
! Treasury Department. to guard against
I the clearance OF any vessels which had
| been constructed for the purposes OF war
! during their stay in United states ports.
! After reciting that the taking on Of I'M
usual amounts OF coal or painting vessels
a war color or unpacking guns would
/ indicate such construction. the Commerce
Departments instrut q, ms lay down the
! following
II must be clear that she Is not
J to- be used fui transportation Of re-
cruits or reserves for a foreign army
or navy. This does not prevent trans
portation Of passengers ia the usual
sense as where Their" are women and
children and men Of different nation
alitL,s, even though among thorl
there are few reservists without
your knowledge. II her passengers
are nearly all men and practically
all Of the same nationality clearance
cannot BE- granted.
While this is a part Of instructions said
20 he issued for the enforcement OF The
neutrality proclamation. the fact is that
the Pres dents proclamation contains as
one Of its chief provisions citations iron
the neutrality laws IN which the activities
of consuls and diplomatic representa-
t'ves IN summoning reserves to the colort
iHnd the action Of the rese-vsts them
selves ia responding 10 such summons are
specifically excepted from the prohibition
against recruiting In the United state
J ON behalf of a belligerent
The commerce instructions also contain
L tho following:
+ Have representatives of each for
elgn vessel in your port certify 10
tins department whether she Is a mer-
chant vessel intended solely for the
T. CARRYING o! passengers and freight
excluding munitions OF war or
, whether she is a part Of the armed
. forces of her nation. This informa-
/ tor is for the purpose Of maintain
ing the neutrality OF the United
% states under, the proclamation by the
/ President clearance will I've refused
To- iu absence Of this certificate.