Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-16
WILL Send WARSHIPS
TO Guard CANAL ZONE
PRESIDENT AND CABINET
AGREE TO GRANT GOE-
TlIALS' REQUEST.
NEUTRALITY VIOLATED
Ships to Prevent BelligercntS
Using Wireless in the
Mile Limit.
NNTASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-PresI-
Wv don't Milson md his clhinet de

w AsHlNGToN' Dec. l'.-ITes'-
w dent Wilson and his cabinet de-
cided today to send American war
ships to the canal zone to guard
against violations Of neutrality there
by beliserent ships.
Just how many ships and whether
destroyers or cruisers or battleships
shall be despatched will be determined
after a fall report has been received
from Col. Goethals, military governor
of the canal zone, and Captain Rod
man, naval officer at the canal.
Both Secretary Garrison and Sec
that the delay In acting on the request
of Col. Goethals for two destroyers
was due to a lack Of Information. Mr..
Garrison explained that the colonel
had sent two messages, one asking
for the destroyers without specifying
the purpose of their use In reply TO
message Of inquiry on the latter
point, Col. Goethals explained that the
wireless regulations were being Vio-
lated in canal waters and referred TO
the misuse of the canal zone as base
of supplies.
Want More Information.
The war department again asked
for specific instances of what had oc-
CURED, but tonight no further infor-
nation had been received. on a full
explanation of conditions in the canal
zone depend exactly what action will
he taken and under what depart
mental jurisdiction.
If the canal zone is being used as a
base of supplies, COL Goethals will
be instructed to use his land forces
TO prevent such violations. Should it
develop that the wireless is being
used within territorial waters, the
navy department will ask for an oX-
planation from its naval officers, as
the question of wireless regulations
was placed by executive order of Pres
ident Wilson on August in the hands
Of the navy department for enforce
ment and COL Goethals, according TO
war department officials, has no au-
thority over the radio situation what
ever.
Dismantled one Radio.
whatever is necessary to be done"
said Secretary Daniels tonight, "to
carry out the executive order Of the
president with reference to the radio
communication will be done. A tele-
gram from the radio officer at the
canal zone shows that he is on the
job. He says. For communication
with British cruisers from west coast,
! have dismantlcd radio of one British
collier at Balboa, Canal Zone.
"Destroyers or other ships will be
sent to the canal zone at any moment
when needed to prevent the use of
radio for any unneutral act by ships
of any belligerent nation"
The probability Is that some of the
cruisers now on the west coast of
Mexico will be sent to the zone in
stead of destroyers.
At the British embassy it was sug-
gested that the British golfers which
are alleged to have been using their
wireless within the territorial waters
of the canal zone, may not have re-
ceived word Of the canal regulations
on this point, as these only reached
London yesterday.
British officials state that Great
Britain has no objection whatsoever
TO the enforcement by the United
States of the wireless regulations
which the latter has proclaimed, and
has been in sympathy with the cen
sorship Idea from the outbreak of the
war. II was pointed out by high Of
ficials of the Washington government
in this connection that belligerent
warships after being given due warn
Ing probably would not use their radio
apparatus within the three-mile limi,
as 1t Is easy for them to move out a
few miles to the high seas where there
IS no prohibition.