Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-03

w aSnlngton, Dec. 2.-Secretary Lansing
announced today that members of the
peace party planning to sail on the ship
chartered by Henry Ford will not be
given passports to belligerent countries
but only to neutral states in Europe.
Secretary Lansing made it plain that
passports were given to American citi-
zens for belligerent countries only when
business made it absolutely necessary to
visit there or when they were invited by
some governmental agency in those coun-
tries. Mr.. Lansing explained that no dis
tinction was being drawn between mem
bers of the peace party and other Amer
lean citizens and the rule of the depart
ment of state was being applied.
The ruling, however, was generally in
terpreted as meaning that the United
States does not regard unofficial missions
in efforts to make peace by private per-
sons as business of an urgent character
Plans Of Party
Very few applications have been made
for passports to visit belligerent coun-
tries, the plan of the peace party being
to assemble a convention in one Of the
neutral countries and put into operation
their plans, using neutral capital as a
base.
Officials of the passport bureau have
not held up any passports for persons OF
American birth, but it was admitted to-
day that there had been the usual diff
culties with reference to neutralized per-
sons and the compliance with state de-
partment technical regulation with refer
ence to photographs.
Inez Milholland Bossevain. the suffra-
sist, was refused a passport because her
husband is a citizen of a foreign country.
The names of others who may have ex-
perenced difficulty in getting passports
were not disclosed.
Officials of the state department said
today there seemed to be some impress
sion in Europe that the United States
government in some way was sane
tioning the Ford plan and they empha-
sized that there was not the slightest
ground for such an intinlation.
Each application for a passport will
be subjected to the closest scrutiny, it
being feared, as one official said, that
"a wolf IN sleeps clothing" might get
aboard the ship and, while playing the
part of an advocate of peace, be in re-
atty spy. The department is deter
mined that nothing Of the kind shall
happen.
The state department does not con-
template that it could stop wireless
messages being sent out from neu-
trail European country calling the SOL
diers from the trenches. but the belief
was expressed today that such mes
sages would necessarily be received in
belligerent countries by official govern
ment stations and would be promptly
suppressed.
Legal authorities in the state depart
ment expressed the opinion today that
if the peace party went to any bellig-
erent country and attempted to stop
the war they might be considered by
the country involved as promoters of
sedition and treason. The state depart
ment has refused a request to send an
agent to New York for the special pur-
pose of issuing passports to members
of the party.
The number Of applications for pass
ports received so far is very small,
and Ford himself has sent no applica-
ton. Only two more days remain be-
fore the peace ship is scheduled to
sal, ard it is considered doubtful that
great number of passports can be
issued by Saturday unless the depart
ment receives a large number of ap-
plications today and before tomorrow.
Those who accompany the peace par
ty, it was said, will have to make their
applications for passports in Identical
ly the same manner as any other
American citizen. The department rec
ognizes no special privilege in the is
suance Of passports.