The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-29
ALLIES WARN us.
NOT TO BUY ANY
| 0 REL SHIPS
No Doubt Vessels s Bought
Will Be Treated As
Enemy Craft.
TR0UBL:IE.MAYF0LL0VACT
BRITAIN, FRANCE AND RUSS.
MAKE ISSUE OF MOTIVE
FoRsTRANsFER.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s.-lt may
be stated with positiveness that II
the United States purchases interned
German and Austrian ships under the
provisions Of the pending ship pur.
chase bill it will become involved
with the governments OF Great Brit.
ain, France and Russia in a contro.
versy vastly more serious than any
that has confronted this nation In
many years. Si'3t1Ir n
Although the administration is re.
fusing to disclose Just what it in.
tends to do II 1t succeeds In having
the ship purchase bill passed, there
Is no mystery at all about what the
allied governments in the European
war will do in case the proposed gov
eminent owned corporations buys
and puts into trade with Germany
and Austria vessels now owned BY
their enemies. Positive and authorI-
tative statements that these vesseis
under such circumstances will be
treated as enemy vessels are now oh.
tainable in Washington and leave not
the slightest doubt as to where the
allied governments stand on the is.
sue. Z. h
Not only is there no uncertainty
about the osition OF the allied govern.
ments in principle but It is also clear
that all are In the mood to treat this
possible emergency just as forcefully
as they have treated other situations
IN the war which have been regarded
as likely to result in aiding their enc
mics or tniuring themselves.
Serious Conditions Likely.
Realization Of the stand OF the al.
lied governments on this issue has In
the last few days begun to dawn more
fully upon those In Washington In.
terested In the proposed legislation.
This realization has come with startls
Ing force to many Democrats wins
were proceeding under. the impress.
sion that the administration. had re.
ceiyed assurances in advance that
there would be no objection to the
plan OF purchasing belligercnt ships
for the proposed steamship line, or
at least that such assurances would
be obtained before anything vas
done. no
[ The knowledge that not only have
such assurances mot been obtained
but that the allied governments liz ,e
taken stand emphatically to TIC
contrary has come as a shock ID
these legislators, and the indication
VIII be given to the issue involved In
the administration plan.
For the present the administration
Is standing on Its statement thar
there will be no foreign complica.
tons" This expression was used al
the White House in response to an
inquiry regarding the delicate ques-
tons which the operation OF the ship
purchase plan may bring up, but in
no responsible quarter OF the govern.
ment can a positive statement be OBJ
tanned that the Presidents plan does
not contemplate the purchase OF in.
termed German vessels.
According to views Of the three al.
lied governments, however, any at.
tempt Of that character is certain to
lead to complications. 1t is not DOS.
sible to emphasize too strongly the
positiveness Of the views Of the allied
governments on this question.
Assurances by Democrats.
-rDSAaVSialNs. StudbOE6t nave StAteu
that the administration would not EN-.
bark on course in regard to the pur.
chase Of belligerents' ships without
getting adequate assurance that on
difficulties would ensue.
Investigation OF those reassuring
statements by Democratic senators
falls to disclose any basis for the as.
sumption that the possibility of for.
eign complications has been antici.
pated and that action is being taken
by the state department to clear the
situation. pr
Just where It is intended to get the
ships for which It (. is proposed to
spend $30,000,000 administration Off.
cials and administration leaders thus
far have refused to disclose. Most
OF thosewho have studied the subject
agree. though, that the only ships
available for the purpose are the IN.
termed German and Austrian vessels.
It is pointed out that the British