The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-08-07
Official Ruling Prevents Passen-
gers, and Ship Officers In
Transit Coming Ashore
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MIGHT SEEK TO MODIFY
Passports Good For Foreign
Country Night Be Used To
Secure Landing Here 81.

I'd I
Honolulu is closed port to through
passengers outward bound. Not only
American passengers on business TO
foreign countries but the American
officers Of american ships win here
after mot be allowed to set foot on the
wharf, on penalty Of being forced back
on the ship by customs or military
guards, or being placed under arrest,
" they attempt il.
Orders TO this effect relative to per
sons travelling we're received by Col
lector OF the Port Malcolm A. Frank
lin on Friday afternoon and transmit
ted to steamship agents yesterday, who
in turn made them public. Mr.. Frank
lin had no alternative, but refuses to
discuss the order, or give any explanas
tion OF IL under the instructions he has
received from Washington to give out
no information on any subject.
Franklin Makes NO Comment
The country will soon know WI
are at war, IL many such orders com,
through Is the only comment he
would make last night. .t
Would Plug News Leaks
The purported' reason, announced il
the message from an assistant secre
tary Of the treasury, L. s. Rowe, wa
20 stop unauthorized messages TO per
sons in foreign countries IN. y, -, .
Hereafter the only ways of conimu
nicating with such people will b.
through the United States mails or by
cable or wireless. -.,... .... ,
Assistant Secretary Rowe's message
was as follows; 49, ,..,1 .s...,.s :
To the Collectors of Customs on
the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf
Coasts: - .'" - "f
! The department is advised by
the secretary Of state that it is
possible that persons proceeding
to places outside the United States
on vessels touching at harbors in
this country are being used as a
means for the transmission of I'M
authorized messages. The depart
iient Of state therefore recon- 2
mends that persons touching at
United States ports and destined
to places outside Of the United
States be not permitted to land
while at such ports. t'..'
-, A similar recommendation has
been sent to the departments of la
Dor, commerce and justice, and you
will cooperate with representatives
of those departments in any meas
ures they may take to prevent the
landing of such persons.
''' - =. '''''' L. s. ROWE,
Assistant Secretary.
Persons Mean Everyone .....
This message was strictly interpreted
by the local customs authorities. The
words persons proceeding to places
outside the United States" excerpts
only American officials or officials of a
friendly country according to the in
structions issued yesterday to the
customs inspectors.
The officers and crews of the vessels,
salon officers not excepted, are barred
from the shore, measure which ha'
aroused the protest of the local ship
ping agents. .....
No one on shore except those &C
tually having business on the ship win
be permitted to go aboard, an incon.
sistency insofar as officers of the ship
having business on shore will not be |
permitted to 20 ashore. Japanese and I
alien stevedores will be permitted to go
on board, however, to assist in loading |
and unloading freight. I
Other Inconsistencies Seen
A number of other similar incon. |
sistencies were pointed out yesterday, |
especially as regards the fact that the |
American government is refusing to ac-
knowledge its own signed passports, en-.
dorsed by the secretary Of state and |
issued to American citizens to guarantee |
courtesy to them in foreign countries. |
In spite of the Inconsistencies, there
were no protests yesterday by shipping |
agencies, with the exception that some /
Of them made an unsucces sful attempt |
to get permission for certain ships Off /
GERS, such as the pursers and chief I
stewards, to leave the ship. The ship
ping firms took II philosophieally as a
war measure, and are confident that If I
1t falls short of attaining the object
the government wishes, that il win col.
lapse of itself. I s.f1.
Chamber Should Act Quickly