The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-02-22
A GERMAN
COMPLAINT
A Breach of Neutrality Is
Charged in Building
Submarines
ALLEGED FOR THE
BRITISH NAVY
Charge Made That They Are
Shipped to Canada
in Parts

Washington, Feb. 22.--Renewed com.
plants were made Saturday to the state
department in behalf of the German and
the Austro. Hungarian embassies that
submarines were being built in the
United States and shipped in sections to
Canada for reshipping to England. Sec
rotary Bryan promised an official inves.
tigation, Charles NJ. Schwab, president
of the Bethlehem Steel Co. and owner
of the Union Iron Works, is said to
have cancelled similar contracts with the
British government several months ago
after a conference with Secretary Bryan
on the theory that they constituted a
violation of the neutrality laws.
Naval officers detailed at various pri-
vate yards where contracts Tor the
United States government are being ex'
ecuted recently reported to Secretary
Daniels that the Union Iron Works OF
San Francisco and the Fore River Ship.
building Co. of Quincy were building ten
submarines each, in addition TO those
they have under construction for the
United States. 1t was said these had
been contracted for by Great Britain be-
fore the outbreak of hostilities and
could not be delivered until the war was
over. The inspectors reported that none
Of these boats could be completed for
several months and that none of their
component parts have been shipped by
the builders.
So far as the officials at Washington
know. no breach of the agreement be-
tween Mr.. Schwab and the government
ia contemplated, but it was made evil
dent that, Notwithstanding the legul
opinion secured by the steel company,
affirming its rights to ship parts OF war
vessels to helligerents, the government
will not permit this to be done with.
out appealing to the supreme court II
the courts are invoked by the ship build
ere.
No Information at South Bethlehem.
None Of the officials Of the Bethlehem
Steel Co, at South Bethlehem, Pa,
would say anything Saturday In regard
10 the complaints made by the Germa n
and Austro.H Hungarian governments that
the steel company " participating IN
the building OF sections OF submarines
for shipment TO England. As the com.
pany has large contracts for guns and
aun carriages for European countries,
tho entire plant is closely guarded and
silence IA TO the concerns business is
the rule among all It's officials. The only
persona authorized to speak for the
bethlehem Steel Co., they said, Is It's
president. Charles NJ. schwab, who 10 in
New York.
Officers OF the Union Iron Works at
San Francisco admitted some time ago
that work on the hulls OF eight sub
marines was being done there. In fulfill
rent OF sub-eontract placed by Charles
". Schwab. When Mr.. Schwab an
nounead that he had cancelled HE con
tract N compliance with President VIII
sons definition OF neutrality, i was
understood that work also had been
stopped at San Francisco.
No Submarines at Seattle.
President J. V. Patterson Of the Seat
lie Construction & Dry Dock Co., which
has built many submarines, said sat
urdav, 1--WE are not building any sub
marines or parts Of submarines for any
country az present Under the law, We
have the right 20 build submarines here
take them 70 pieces and ship them any
where. but our plant il now entirely idle
30 far as submarines are concerned.