Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-09
PASSENGERS READY
T0BRAVE DANGER
Reservations Are Transferred
From American Ships to Ves-
sells of BeIIigerents.
RYNDAM HEEDS WARNING

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February "A number
of persons who had engaged passage
for Europe on ships of the American
line showed their readiness to brave
the dangers of the submarine zone by
canceIing their reservations today and
booking on ships flying the flags of bel
ligerent nations. Some of them took
passage on the French liner Espagne,
which sails on Sunday for Bordeaux,
and a few engaged cabins on the White
Star liner Lapland. which will sail for
Liverpool on Tuesday or Wednesday.
There are now only about forty first
cabin passengers left on the st. Louis
Of the American line. but it is predicted
that more will be booked as soon as
the line decides to send her out. The
sixty second class and twenty third
class passengers are standing by the
st. Louis. because most of them have
little money. and In a majority of cases
their hotel bills are being paid of the
steamship. -
Ryndam Warned to Turn Back.
A wireless message from a passenger
on the Holland American line steam
ship Ryndam. given out here. contained
information that the liner. which sailed
from New York for Rotterdam January
90 and turned back within fourteen
hours of Falmouth. was warned by a
German submarine to turn about Just
before entering the war zone. In this
case it is believed that the captain of
the Ryndam acted on his own initiative
for the safety Of his ship and passen-
gers The Ryndam was reported early
today. 400 miles east of Sandy Hook
and due to dock here Wednesday. A
wireless message from the captain
stating his position was received by Of
ficials OF the line here shortly before
noon.
The American liner Kroonland is due
here late today, but on account OF the
bad weather she may not arrive until
tomorrow. The kroonland left Liver
pool January 81.
Word of the arrival of the steamship
Baltic at Liverpool is awaited at the
office Of the international Mercantile
Marine. She was due there Wednes-
day. but may have taken a southerly
and longer course.
The only American vessel to clear
here for European port since last
Saturday is the Orleans. owned by the
Oriental Navigation Company. She got
her papers yesterday for Bordeaux.
Oil Ships Withheld.
PHILADELPHIA. February s.-Eig
oil companies operating out OF PhiIa-
deIphia to European ports are disposed
to withhold ships of American register
from transatlantic service for the
present, according to officers Of some
of these concerns. None OF them. 1t
was said. cares to assume the RESPONSE
biIity of plunging the country into
war or risk their own ships. Several
Of the companies. it was said. were
willing to ship oil across the Atlantic,
but not in their own vessels.
An officer of one of the oil companies
is quoted today as saying:
THE first American ship sunk with
out warning will be tantamount to war
and nobody wants TO be held RESPONSE
BILE for that by he American people We
will do business with Europe. but Gus
toners must furnish ships. Then the
responsibility will be theirs. and If the
ships are sunk the American people
will not be hurried into a conflict"