Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-15
ASKS NEWSPAPERS
TO Be PATRIOTIC
Sec. Daniels Requests Press to
Suppress News of Armed
Ship Movements.

Washington, March o.--Lacking legal
authority to establish general censorship.
the administration tonight appealed to
the patriotism Of the country's newspa-
pers and cable companies, to suppress
publication and transmission of infor7na-
ton about the movements of American
merchant craft. now to be armed against
German submarines
The best news that readers can have"
Secretary Daniels said In formal state
nlent to press representatives. lis that
the government will protect the rights OF
Americans to the freedom of the seas.
1.-THE publication of details can serve
no good purpose and might jeopardize hui
man life"
MIR. Daniels has determined not to re-
veal any OF the departments plans for
carrying out the policy ordered by Presi-
dent Wilson. lie previously has stated.
however. that the navy is prepared with
guns, ammunition, gun crews and all other
necessary equipment or personnel to carry
, out the instructions.
Navy yard commandments will super
intend the actual installation of guns on
merchant craft. The rifles, ammunition
mounts. range finders and other aces
sories are already stored at the yards
They range from heavy six-inch rifles tc
three-inch weapons and smaller guns
| The number Of guns to go on each ship
| the personnel selected from the ACTIVE
list Of the navy or from the reserve. Il
handle the guns. the time Of sailing OIL
the means Of ships that have been armed
will not be disclosed.
SEC. DANIELs's STATEMENT.
Secretary Daniels in his statement tt
the newspaper men said:
You have read the statement issuet
from the White House and now know
that the President has the power to arm
American merchant ships making trip
on the seas on lawful errands. and /
free to exercise it at once. I do not thinl
you ought to ask with what guns the
will be armed or how they will be manne
or exactly when the power will be ex
ercised. The government should b
trusted fully to carry out the policy an
nounced in the best way.
Il do not think you ought to ask whe
! the ships will be armed or print whe
! they will sail. To-day l requested ever
cable company in America not to sen
out any news about ships sailing to G
from Europe. The wireless stations ar
, under the direction of the navy depart
ment and no news of sailings will go OF
by radio.
= Il am going to request you and ever
2 newspaper and every news agency in til
United States not to print news about tn
\ arrival of ships or when any of them wi
! sail for European ports. There is n
: power of censorship in our country. TT
4 President does not have any authorit
over the press. In this time of nations
emergency, l feel sure that every new
paper will accede to the request not
( even give a hint or speculation of IL
e sailing of American ships. Such publ
8 cation might result in the loss of lif
}. AS the reasons are SO obvious for makir
s this request there Is confidence in a.
o ministration circles that this request w
t be complied with by every paper in Il
Q country.
= "Ar patriotic Americans are ready
make sacrifice for their country in tim
d Of emergency. The press can render Il
g highest patriotic services by refrainii
Il from at this time what ordinarily tn
= would freely print.
Is "Inasmuch as 1t will be impossible
l. reach every paper and news agency {
&c rectly. will ask all papers to carry n
- request which is made as an appeal
Il patriotism to all journalists and d
n seminators of news. The best news I
a readers can have is that the governme
y will protect the rights Of America to I
freedom of the seas. The publication
details can serve no good purpose a
might jeopardze human life. All rea
20 ers will surely applaud the papers in
d spending to this appeal"
d With the departure of the first arm
l. American ships 1t will be necessa
for the navy department to issue
~ structions to gun crews as to the ma
es ner in which the weapons are to be Ell
III ployed. In that will be involved a de
III laration of policy as to whether {
r. appearance of submarine in I
neighborhood of a ship is suffice
81 warrant for opening fire. Onici
would not discuss this aspect of I
u" situation.
40 When the application of a ship ow
w. er for arms has been approved by
'te navy department. the commandant
10 the nearest navy yard will be instru
at ed to place the guns aboard. In so
lre cases structural charges in ships de-
us may he necessary to carry the &
zee weight. In any event It will take
more than few days to. outfit q
ship.
Contracts for additional guns of ST
49, able size are being speeded up. 1t
Il expected that they can be completed
that weapons will be quickly availa
Ne for converting merchant craft into
val auxi,iaries II war comes.