The sun., 1917-02-27
Presidents Reference to
Blockade of American
Ports Is Resented.
UNABLE TO BUY GUNS
TO PROTECT LINERS
Representatives Declare the
Situation Has Been
Misrepresented.

Since the German submarine decree
which tied up American shipping went
into effect American ship owners. and
especially officials of the American Line
that have been the particular victims of
Government inaction, fancied they had
run out of good, old fashioned Yankee
cusswords. They were mistaken.
Yesterday they culled from the Presi-
dents speech to Congress sentence
which automatically revived the best
traditions Of oral condemnation in the
American merchant marine:
"Our own commerce has suffered, is
suffering, rather in apprehension than
In fact, rather because SO many of our
ships are timidly keeping to their home
ports than because American ships have
been sunk"
1t is not permitted to quote p. a. S.
Franklin. president Of the International
Mercantile Marine Company. which. as
10 we'll known. operates the now block
AIDED shjpazAss the. American Line. 1t
were scarcely fitting perhaps to repro
duce the comments accurately of a
dozen agents for American steamship
lines after they read that sentence and
the full significance of the word
"timidly" sank in. The fact Is. Ameri-
can steamship men were FIRST burningly
and vociferously angry and then silenced
by a kind of shame that the situation.
a. they see it, could have been SO mis-
represented.
Lines Couldn't Buy Any Guns.
Representatives of the American Line
who spoke with the perfect knowledge of
Mr.. Franklin's mind called attention to
these facts:
First, there was no timidity among
American Line officials when they
combed the country trying to buy naval
guns so as to arm their ships and send
them out at their own expense. If they
could have been able to buy guns at any
price the ships would have gone out
They couldn't. Guns manufactured or
H. process of manufacture are contracted
for by the Allies up to the last pound.
Orc American munitions concern, II Is
tuc, offered to supply guns, but quail
fed the offer to the point of notification
hv s,ating that the permission OF the
r1Iled States Government had best be
secured.
Second. the American Line and other
lines under the Stars and Stripes have
displayed no "tim!dity" where mere
cargoes and not the lives of American
citizens entrusted to them were con-
orrned. The American Line dared the
German threat by bringing the Phila-
d,phia and Finland safely out of the
submarine zone. and is sending out or
has sent out two big freighters. the
MdnchUrian and the Mongolia. The for
NOR, 600 feet long and of 1858 gross
tom. in the London-New York service.
Ia expected to sail this week differed
aud manned by American citizens. The
latter. Of the same bulk, laden with a
huge cargo. Is seven days out from this
port Later, a third vessel. the Minne-
sofa. bigger than either Manchuria or
Mongolia. will load with foodstuffs and
take Il chance without armament in
breaking through the war zone.
See Duty for L. :. Government.
Third. the American Line has found
Il necessary to tie up five big steamships
f. New York harbor (the Finland will
make the sixth when she arrives to-mor-
row) not because they are afraid to risk
cargoes or ships. but because they be-
leve II the duty OF the United States
Government and not of private cor
poratiOn to safeguard the lives of United
States citizens. These great vessels are
now idle because they are passenger car
fcrs, not because they are freignt car
rers, Mr.. Franklin's representatives
pointed out. The American Line simply
could not take the responsibility of send
Ing out from 500 to 500 American citi-
zens on every vessel to possible death
unless the United States Government Of
Tered some form of protection.
fourth--Unless the United States Gov
eminent decides that American citizens
s'ill have the right to travel on Ameri-
can ships wherever they please the
American Line will dismantle its passen-
ser vessels Kroonland and Finland load
Them with caTgoes and send them out to
risk destruction. In view of that de-
cision they ask II the imputation Of
tmidity fairly belongs to them.
American Crews Risked Death.
Fifth--lt was pointed out by American
steamship concerns yesterday that the
Oriental Navigation Company and Kerr
Steamship Company's freight carriers,
& well as several ships scheduled to sail,
ana not lack pluck even though they for
bore to ask the United States Govern
nrnt for protection. The officers and
NHew Of the Orleans. now safe at Bor-
de 'uy, and the officers and crew of the
F".hcster still unheard from risked
d'1th IN the carrying out OF their ordi-
l'ry affairs. The Vigilanca, formerly
lh" Ward Line, and the virginia, OF
to Globe Line, are scheduled to sail
i poytively for Havre and Genoa within
W. next few days laden with contra
blud aud they will have nothing but the
American flag and their own pluck to
protect them.