The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-04

PsS~t~ Sou4te-
Al ruiSHc~ ire rss1. -t.-~ EazSa3
4.e -a ne t>.s9~ .HE modified
forHs
House of r. -;.-..-trs Of -ae
t'atsea STATS of An1r - IRA. Ireo1s
and after, thr passage ~. IN res1 Be
ton. and 51r.rg nc existence ~
: war io v.HlA lHe United States is
nc; q parry and IN order to prevent
.sshe neutY al.ty az the Jr.tyI os
! from being VIOLA ed Sy tn .st ut Is
s-ferritory. ts ports O. IL. territorial
s~zraters as ne base ~ aFs ration for
the AIMED forces "a. s. sF5..crrfHl con-
srary 10 the OH a.. rs .H ose8 10y
@1he iaw ii uht'4us tho treaties 20
which the United stat, is a lar}y or
contrary 10 the ssa.utos of the United
asStates Nae President he and he Is
.shereby, authorized of the United
States to withhold clearance from 10y
Vessel OF American o. foreign res s.
ster or license, which he has rea4s'-
able cause to believe 10 be about 10
!. carry fuel. arms ammunition. men.
STR supplies. to au* vaTshlp. or tender
ar supply ships Of fl helIlEerent ma
!. ton o. to commit any other sim tr
act in aid of the prosecution 81
Tt1osti..ies, in violation e the obiEa-
toas OF ,.1e tinted States az neutral
snation. That further. the President
BE, and he il hereby, authorized and
empowered to direct the collector to
give clearance to any such vessel or
american reeiste~ or license providing
that before clearing ont the same,
the owners. or masters. or other per-
son or persons having charge o. COM
mand thereof give bond 70 tle United
States with sufficient sur cites, IN
double the amount Of the value az
Abe vessel and cargo n board. condt-
toned that the vessel shall not be en~
sSpioyed IN the commission. of such
acts or act; and in case If the breach
Of the conditions thereof the bono
ttaall be forfeited TO the United States,
and the owner or master. or othes
person or persons having charge or
command OF any such vessel shall in
addition be severaily liable to fine
Of not less than $1,000. nor more than
$500. or to imprisonment not to
exceed one year or both and in case
any said vessel of American register
or license shall depart, or attempt to
depart from the Jurisdiction Of the
United States WITHOUT clearance pur-
sssuant - such act or acts above set
forth, the owner or masters, or per-
son OF persons having charge or COM
.nand OF such vessels, shall severally
he liable to a hne OF not less than
$1,000. nor more than 10000, or TO
imprisonment not to exceed two years,
or both. and in addition such vessels
shall he forfeited To the United states.
That the Pres dent be, and he Is
hereby. authorized to employ such
part OF the land or naval forces Of
tfhe United states as shall be necessary
10 carry out the purposes of TINS
resolution.
Cause, of Action.
The haste with which the resolu'
~fion was sent to Congress was said &c
he due to the fact that collector
At one Of the ports had attempted
to atop a vessel loaded with coal
which ne suspected WIS designed to
aid enc OF the pelliserent's war yes
reis The owner, according to the
%report tonight, threatened suit and
the collector found that his authority
under the law was somewhat ques-
fiona Bile.
This incident however, probably
only added 10 the conviction on the
part of Washington officials that some
iegis,ist ION OF this kind would be
necessary before Congress adjourus
1ne government thus far has been
hampered In attempting to prevent
violations Of neutrality, because it has
found itself unable To intiict adequate
penalties II was attempted to re-
port some cases in cumbersome
roundabout way, As liz the proceed
#ings recently held before the New
EYork city grand jury
The resolution introduced In con
gress was intended to give the United
States the means Of enforcing the obli-
cations which is has assumed under
The Hague Conventions
RESOLUTION Explained.
The purpose OF the proposed resolu-
ZION. stripped of it's legal yerbiage, was
explained tonight by Representative
Temple, of Pennsylvania, who Is reco&
nized as an expert on international
law.
This resolution is intended to cover
this situation The warship Of bel
ugerent is not permitted to buy sup
plies in the ports Of neutral nat on
except 10 a limited extent, They some
times employ merchant ships 10 make
purchases. which are forbidden To war
vessels, and 20 deliver tsetn outside OF
the three-tnile limit This resolution
provides that when an American mer-
chant ship Is thus acting As suppiy
ship TO the naval vessels Of a beillger-
ent the port collector shan refuse clear
snce. and vessel sailing without
clearance shall he punished By heavy
penalties"