Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-26
AUXILIARY NAVY
IS WILSON PLAN
Provides $40, 100000 for Ships
to Garry United States
Foreign Commerce.
CAPITAL MAY BE TARDY
Vessels TO Be Operated During War
and in Peace. the Latter Time
as Merchantmen

Washington. d. c. Aug. 26.-Unless
the shipping interests OF the country
Immediately prove TO the administra-
ton that they are capable OF handling
American foreign commerce. the gov
eminent will soon purchase enough
boats TO control the trade.
Not content with the proposition TO
create a corporation capitalized at SlO,-
600 900 and having full use of $4,000
600 in Panama canal bonds for the pur-
pose OF operating merchant ships, the
administration now approves the plan
Of the house naval affairs committee
TO spend $4,000. 900 for naval auxiliar-
les % be used on trade routes during
times OF peace.
4 subcommittee of the house naval
committee headed by Representative
Talbot Of Maryland. yesterday con-
ferred with the president on the naval
auxiliary proposition. President VIII
son gave it his hearty approval
According TO the subcOmmittee's
view, the sum OF 100000 should be
appropriated Immediately to purchase
and build vessels which can be used
as transports. hospital ships. and
scout ships during a war and as mer
Wilson Urges Broad Scope.
The committee informed the presi-
dent Il desired TO confine the peace
activities of these government owned
vessels to South American trade
routes President Wilson, however,
insisted that no such Limitation be put
on them now
The primary object OF the naval az
fairs subcommittee IS TO build up a
strong auxiliary fleet for the navy and
az the same time provide for its main
tenance by putting the vessels into
commercial business when there is no
war. Germany employs this system.
Practically every officer OF a German
merchantmen IS an officer in the Ger
man navy. either active or reserve.
The committee feels that at the pres
eBt time Il would be most unwise to
permit government owned vessels to
ply in European waters In the case
Of those ships belonging TO the cor
pOration created by the Alexander bill.
the Talbot committee pointed out.
tcey will be one step further removed
from the government than the naval
cu5 iliary merchantmen.
French Lawyer Arouses Fears.
The opinion OF Edouard C1unet, for
mer president OF the Institute OF In
ternational Law, Paris. has tended
strongly TO build up the fears OF con-
Eressmen as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of put
ting the government ships in the Eu-
ropean business during the hostilities
n Clunet says the vessels OF bel
Hgerents remaining in American har-
bors for safety could do their govern
ments no good whatsoever, but IL they
are converted into cash the cash could
be used 10 advantage.
1T would be a violation OF neutral
ity," NJ Clunet says, for the United
States TO permit idle property OF IN
certain value to be transformed into
cash. which would be unsefzable and
Of immediate value TO a belligerent."
Robert Lansing. counsellor. and Cone
Johnson, solicitor of the state depart
ment. differ from the French authority
on this point. They say the United
States can purchase such ships IL the
sale is a bona fide one They also as
sert that this country under the Gus !
toms OF international law can send the |
purchased ships wherever it sees AZ.
Congress Takes No Action.
With the exception of the subcom-
nittee's consideration of the naval /
auxiliary plan, congress made no pro- 4
gress on the shipping measure. A rule 1
TO make the war risk measure special /