The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-07-14
ENGLAND TO OBJECT
NEUTRALITY LAWS MAY CAUSE
PROTEST OF BRITAIN
INDICT FIVE ENGLISHMAN
Department of Justice to Try Men in
San Francisco Accused Of Enlisting
Recruits for the British Army
Germans Violated Neutrality and
Montenegrins are Arrested in New
York.

Sir Cecil Spr;ng-Rice, the British
ambassador, formally applied to the
state department Thursday for def
milton of the American government
view as to whether English patriotic
societies or other unofficial agencies
violate neutrality laws in sending
British subjects from the United
States to volunteer in the British
army.
Conferences between the depart
ment of state and justice will be held
before an answer is given. A serious
diplomatic controversy may develop.
The practice Of returning volunteers
to England has prevailed since the
beginning of the European war, and
it is said the British government is
prepared to register an emphatic pro-
test If the United States takes the
position that it is illegal.
The return of indictments at San
Francisco against five persons charg-
ed with enlisting recruits for the
British army is understood to have
precipitated the ambassadors action.
According to the British contention
it is unjustly discriminatory to in
terfere with the transportation OF
volunteers who are not a"tually en-
listed on American soil when no OBJ
lection has been made to notifications
by consuls to reservists OF countries
in the United States. In this connec-
ton emphasis is laid on the fact that
Great Britain has no reservists IN
America such as other continental
powers.
Department Of justice officials ex-
planned that they have no under
standing with the state department IN
regard to recruiting. They pointed
out, however, that the criminal code
plainly prohibits the enlistment of
"any person" in the United States to
fight against the people of friendly
nation.
The efforts Of the department, it
was declared, have not been directed
against volunteers returning to their
own country to fight, but against or
ganized efforts to irduce such return.
A high official said this was demon
strated when after the recent arrest
of representatives of the Montenegrin
government for violating the law the
145 men they had recruited for the
Montenegrin army were allowed to
proceed.
A Iull in the neutrality campaign
of the department Of justice is ex-
pected to follow recent developments
the return of indictments in San
Francisco in connection with enlist
ments for the British army and the
delivering of supplies to German
warships, and the indictment in Chi
cago against the Montenegrin Off
cials. Department agents are said to
be watching developments in New
York that may lead to further arrests
in connection with British enlist
ments, but the case against the Mon
tenegrins is believed to be complete.
Although little information con-
cerning the San Francisco prosecu-
tions had reached Washington, it was
said that the case Of the men accused
Of supplying the German ships is one
of the most interesting developed by
the government agents in many
The indictments were asked
because Of alleged violation Of the
neutrality laws by the steamship Sac
ramento, formerly Of the Hamburg
American line.
Late last fall the Sacramento clear
ed from San Francisco for Valpa-
raiso, and. according to the depart
ment's evidence, while at sea turned
over most of her cargo of supplies to
the German squadron Of warships
which subsequently was destroyed off
the Falkan Islands by British fleet |
Reports to Washington say that
when the Sacramento sailed from San
Francisco she had aboard as "stow-
away an officer of the German navy |
and a naval reserver, and that when
she steamed few miles outside the
Golden Gate this man appeared on
deck, virtually took charge of the
vessel and got into communication by
wireless with the German fleet. Ar
irving at Valparaiso, the Sacramento
laid up for the war.