The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-07-15
ElV6[AND
PROTEST "a
lNDICT FIVE ENdEHMAN
Department Of Justice toby Men in
San Francisco Accused iEnlisting
Recruits for the Brit Army
Germans Violated Nedtdity and
Montenegrins are ArreSta In New
York. ~

Sir Cecil Spr.ng-Rice, tM British
ambassador, formally appliE to the
state department Thursdayfs a def
inition of the American goVenm ent's
view as to whether English rtriotic
societies or other unofficial yoncies
violate neutrality laws in snding
British subjects from tin United
States to volunteer in tho Eritish
army. ~
Conferences between the* tpart-
ment Of state and justice viii held
before an answer Is given. Asious
diplomatic controversy may dRlop.
The practice Of returning vo1u.eers
to England has prevailed sine the
beginning of the European waIand
it is said the British governzna is
prepared to register an emphaf1tro-
position that It is illegal.
The return of indictments atan
Francisco against five persons schg-
ed with enlisting recruits for he
British army is understood to he
precipitated the ambassadors actz
According to the British contentn
it is unjustly discriminatory to =
terfere with the transportation (
q
listed on American soil when no d.
lection has been made to notificaticr
by consuls to reservists Of coufitris
in the United States. In this come
ton emphasis L. laid on the fact 2h
Great Britain has no reservistsS,
America such as other continent
powers. M
Department of justice officialsfe
N ho ~
standing with the state departments
regard to recruiting. They point
out, however, that the criminal Cd
plainly prohibits the enlistment
"any person" in the United Statest
fight against the people of a friend
nation.
The efforts of the department,
| was declared, have not been direct,
against volunteers returning to the
own country to fight, but against @
ganized efforts to induce such retur
A high official said this was demo
trated when after the recent ARE
of representatives of the Montenegr
government for violating the law {
145 men they had recruited for {
Montenegrin army were allowed
proceed.
Of the department of justice is e
pected to follow recent development
the return of indictments in 81
Francisco in connection with enli.
| ments for the British army and t
warships, and the indictment in CT
cago against the Montenegrin of
cials. Department agents are said
ha 10 ~
York that may lead to further arres
| in connection with British enlis
| ments, but the case against the Mo
tenegrins is believed to be complet
Although little information co
cerning the San Francisco prosec
tions had reached Washington, it w
said that the case Of the men accus
of supplying the German ships is o.
! Of the most interesting developed
| the government agents I'm MAJ
months. The indictments were ask
because OF alleged violation of t
neutrality laws by the steamship Sa
ramento, formerly of the Hambur
American line.
Late last fall the Sacramento clea
| Cd from San Francisco for Valp
raisO, and, according to the depal
ment's evidence, while at sea turn
over most of her cargo of supplies
the German squadron OF warshi
which subsequently was destroyed {
the Falkan Islands by British flet
Reports to Washington say tn
when the Sacramento sailed from 81
Francisco she had aboard as "sto'
away" an officer of the German ma
and naval reserver, and that VIII,
| she steamed a few miles outside Il
| Golden Gate this man appeared
deck, virtually took charge of Il
vessel and got into communication
wireless with the German fleet. A
irving at Valparaiso. the Sacramen
laid up for the war.