New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-26
No Soldiers Detailed to
New York Waterfront,
Despite Official An
nouncement
Police May Aid
New Zone Rules
Department of Justice
Blamed for Miscar.
riage of Scheme
for Sentries

The official announcement at Wash
ington Saturday that armed soldiers
would begin patrolling New York's
waterfront Sunday at midnight was an
a.nouncement-nothing more.
So far as could be learned early this
morning not soldier was ferried
across the bay from Governors Island
10 Manhattan to begin guard duty and
not soldier had appeared at any of
the important piers to assist the pri-
yate guards and the policemen already
there.
Both officials OF the local Depart
ment of Justice and officers at Gov
ernor's Island failed TO give any ade-
ouate explanation of the sudden turn
. Of events which had made the an
nouncement from Washington words,
rather than facts. In one official quar-
ter, however, the cause for the failure
of the plans to carry was laid at the
doors of the Department of Justice in
Washington, which, it was asserted,
had failed TO cooperate properly with
the War Department in making ade-
Custe preparations.
No Orders from Washington
At the Office of Brigadier General Eli
d. Hoyle, commander Of the Depart
ment of the East, it was announced last
night that for the present no soldiers
would be put on guard.
1t was learned that TO definite in
structions were received from Wash
ington by the local military officials.
Il was said, however, that some IF
the more important piers would be
placed under military guard some time
during the week. The opinion pre-
vailing among military officers was
that the announcement of the Depart
ment Of Justice was somewhat prems-
ture. There are others who regard the
new 100-yard zone order as wholly in
effective, while enemy aliens are per-
mitted 70 travel unmolested on ferry
boats, from which they may have an
excellent view of all that is going on
in the hsrbor.
Policemen to Guard Piers
At a conference at the Office of Cen
oral Hoyle yesterday afternoon it was
decided to guard the docks and piers in
manner not indicated by the Depart
ment of Justice announcement-by
placing policeman on each pier. These
cficers are TO go on duty at o'clock
this morning, according to present
Plans.
At this conference, besides General
Hoyle, were Brigadier General Jesse
Mel Carter, Francis G. Caffey, United
States Attorney for the Southern Dis
triet Of New York, and his chief as
sistsnt, John c. Knox; Thomas Nc
Csrthy, United States marshal; Mel
vile J. France, United States Attorney
for the Eastern District of New York;
Charles T. Lynch, United States Attor-
neg for New Jersey; Major Hunter
Msrston and other army officers, and
James Z. Dillon, chief inspector Of the
New YORK Police Department.
After the conference army officers
and the local representatives Of the
Department of Justice, aiors with In
spector Dillon, made round Of the
waterfront in hign-powered automo-
biies.
First they drove >iong the North
River from the Battery TO Forty-fourth
street, where lie the piers from which
tail most Of the big ships engaged in
Transatlantic and cOastwise trade.
Tnen they visited the East River from
twenty-fOurth Street down 10 the Bat
tery. Next they visited the Brooklyn
waterfront and last that part of New
Jersey which is laved by the waters Of
tie harbor.
Officer Issues Statement
After the tour Major Msrston'issue
he following statement at Governors
Island:
"Au examination has been made Of
the situation. Important docks may be
guarded. The investigation shows that
the piers arc we'll guarded. No definite
action hag been prrivcd at"
Ths. was all Governors Island had
70 ssy fOI publication.
Marshal Mccarthy remained At mis-
ci1es late last night. working out the
details for enforcing the Presidents
PROCLAMATION, which puts a l00-yard
zone from which Germans are barred
sbout the waterfront.
He said:
The instructions this Office has re-
eeiyed from the Attorney General will
Do enforced Immediately. Alien enemy
employees affected by the proclamation
viii be given seyenty-two hours from
Aonday morning 20 leave the prescribed
district, and enemy alien employers and
Nher business men will be given "A rea-
sonable length Of time, the period de-
p>ndiHg on the circumstances OF each
Ease. The orders apply 20 all trsnsat-
isptie and coastwise shipping, except
fishing. of which latter there Is none
IN this hsrbor."
Asked how soon the military would
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