Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-09
Suspected Violations of Neutrality Force Action and Captain
Billiard of Naval Radio Is Placed in Dan
I iels Announces Same Regula lions at Tuckerton
CHARGES COLLECTED WILL Be PAID TO OWNERS

Metz, president, and DR.. Karl G..
| Frank secretary and treasurer. was
owned by the Telefunken Co.. Of Ger
many. which is itself owned by the
| Siemens and Halske Co. and the Ale
| gemeine Elekthizitats Gesselschaft Of
Germany. and that practically all Of
the stock such as would permit Mr..
Metz to be president Of the Atlantic
Co., was owned by German citizens.
| Secretary Redtield's letter also re-
vealed that the Sayville station is in
communication with stations in Ger
| many, which either are under control
of German military authorities or the
| Imperial German postoffice. one hav-
ing control Of military features and
the other of commercial business.
| 1t also pointed out that the Marconi
| Wireless Co. is not operating its trans
, Atlantic station in connection with Brit
| ish stations, because they are controlled
| by the British government. 1t was deem
| ed unneutral to operate them from this
| country.
| Secretary Redfeld yesterday wrote to
the Atlantic Communication Co. denying
either permanent or temporary license
TO the new plant at Sayville, and today
| he forwarded to the company an an
| nouncement that the navy would immedi-
| ately take over the station and operate
it for commercial purposes.
| The station for which license was ask
| ed was regarded by the department as
| entirely new since the beginning of the
war. and not held to be the same as the
old sending station, which had been oper-
ating with new high power German-made
apparatus.
The department of commerce expressed
| to Secretary Lansing the opinion that it
| was imperative to maintain communica-
| ton with Germany and Austria. that the
| station should not be closed altogether,
and suggested that as matter of equity
| to all it be taken over by the navy.
This action simply means said Sec
| rotary Redfield. that the Sayville sta
| ton is still open for every rightful pur-
pose
During investigation of the Sayville
station several complaints referred to the
sailing of ships which might be endan-
gered in the war zone.
License Refused
Although there have been reports of
unneutral messages sent from Sayville to
be picked up by submarines or other YES
sells at sea in spite of the presence of
naval censors, no charges of violations
| of neutrality have reached the navy de-
| partnent
Secretary Daniels in announcing the
| taking over of the plant today merely
| SAID the action had become necessary
7 on account of the refusal of Secretary
| Redfield of the department of commerce
| to issue a license to its owners. The
| station had been operating under a tenn
porary arrangement.
In letter to the navy department Mr..
Redtield rected the fact that the plant
was German-owned, communicated with
| plant in Germany controlled by the i'm
perial government. was provided with it's
| high powered sending apparatus after
the war began and had been in charge of
| it's experimental work expert of the ger
man marine service. After such circum-
stances, Secretary Redfield said. to grant
| the station a license would be an un-
| neutral act.