The Daily Missoulian., 1917-03-10
Administration Lacks Au.
thoiity to Prohibit News
Of Ship Sailings.
"HUMAN LIFE MIGHT
BE PUTIN JEOPARDY
Papers Should Not Ask What
and How Ships Will Be
Armed Says Daniels.

washington, March 9.-Lacking le
| gal authority to establish" genera
censorship the administration tonigh
appealed to the patriotism of the coun
try's newspapers and cable companie.
to suppress publication and transmits
| sion Of information about the move.
ments of American merchant craft nov
t." be armed against German subma
rines.
The best news that readers car
| have Secretary Daniels said in q for.
| mai statement to press representatives
"is that the government will protect
the rights of Americans to the free
dom of the seas.
THE publication Of details can serve
no good purpose and might jeopardize
human lifc.'
Won't Reveal Plans.
Mr.. Daniels has determined not to
reveal any Of the departments plans
for carrying out the policy ordered by
President. Wilson. He previously has
stated however, that the navy is pre-
pared with guns, ammunition, gun
crews and all other necessary equip
ment or personnel to carry out the in
stfuctions.
Navy yard commandants will SUPER
intend the actual installation of guns
on merchant craft. The rifles, ammu-
milton. mounts. range finders and other
accessories are already stored at the
yards. They range from heavy 6-inch
rifles to 3-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 to handle the guns. the
time Of sailing or the names of ships
that have been armed will not be dis
closed.
President Has Power.
Secretary Daniels in his statement
to the newspaper men said:
you have read the statement is
sued from the White House and now
you know that the president has the
power to arm American merchant
ships making trips on the seas on
lawful grounds, and is free to exer-
cise 1t at once. do not think you
ought to ask with what guns they will
be armed or how they will be manned
or exactly when the power will be ex-
ercised. The government should be
trusted fully to carry out the policy
in the best way.
Il do not think you ought ask when
the ships will be armed or print when
they will sail. Today requested every
cable company in America not to send
out any news about ships sailing to OF
from Europe. The wireless stations
are under direction of the navy ue-
partment and no news of sailings will
go out by radio.
Asks Newspapers Aid.
II am going to request you and every
newspaper and every, news agency, in
the United States not to print any
news about the arrival Of ships or
when any of them will sail for Euro
pean ports. There is no power of GEN.
sorship In our country. The president
does not have. any authority. over, the
press. In this time of national emer-
gency, feel sure every newspaper will
accedc to the request not to give even
2 hint or speculation of the calling Of
American ships. SAch publication
might result in the loss Of life. As the
reasons are so obvious for malttng this
request. there is confidence In admin
istration circles that this request will
be complied with by every paper in
the country.
Ready to Sacrifice.
AN patriotic Americans are ready to
make sacrifice for their country in
times of emergency. The press can
render the highest patriotic service by
refraining from printing at this time
what ordinarily they would freely
print.
''Inasmuch as 1t will be impossible
to reach every paper and news agency
directly. u will ask all papers to carry
this request which is made as. an ap-
peal TO patriotism to all journalists
and disscniinators of news. The best
news the readers can have Is that the
government will protect the rights of
America to the freedom OF the seas.
The publication Of details can serve no
good purpose and might jeopardize hu-
man life. All readers will surely ap.
plaud the papers in responding to this
appeal
With the departure of the first
armed American ship, 1t might be nec-
essary for the navy department to is
sue instructions. to gun crews As to
the manner in which the weapons are
TO be employed. In that will be in.