The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-03-30
Federal Officials Fail To Make
Any Move TO Shift
j. Menaces To Harbor
HACKFELD AND COMPANY
SECURE IN ITS CONTROL
II Congress-, Declares War On
Germany Monday Action
..sal May Follow Here

All Indications now point TO the
German refugee merchant ships in Ho-
nolulu harbor remaining unmolested
until after Monday at least, when IL
is expected that the international stat
us between Germany and the United
States will be defined - probably
either by declaration of war or by
the adoption Of resolution TO the
effect that n state of war exists, and
has for some time existed, between the
two countries. D.
Although it is known that Capt.
George X. Clark, commandment Of the
Pearl Harbor naval station, has re-
eeived cabled instructions from Rear
Admiral Benson at Washington, d.
recting him to assist the Territory in
its task of getting rid of the menace
Of the German ships, no action, so far
as can be learned, has yet been taken.
The board of harbor commissioners
had arranged to 60 to Pearl Harbor
yesterday morning TO confer with Cap
tain Clark A statement to this effect
was published in The Advertiser yes
terday morning, and early yesterday
Harbor. Master Foster received tele-
phone message from Captain Clark, ask
ing him TO inform the board that he
would not be in his Office during the
day and did not expect to be able to
see. them all day long.
Captain Clark then came to Honour
lu, and although he did not confer with
the board, he did see Chairman G. r.
Forbes. Forbes said yesterday after
noon that he had seen the cablegram
received by Clark from Admiral Ben
4 -. -. A.. -.
Without quoting authorities, the
statement may safely be made that the
German ships will not be moved, for
4 the present at least, If congress, as
4 seems probable, declares war against
| Germany, the German crews Of the
/ ships will undoubtedly be arrested and
interned, and it is probable that then
4 the vessels will be towed to Pearl
Harbor by the navy department fol
safe keeping, though the United
States government has already declared
that privately owned vessels win moi
be confscated without payment Of
their value.
\ 1t developed yesterday that the real
reason why the vessels have not beer
hauled outside the harbOr is that Nal
comb. Franklin, collector Of the port
refuses TO allow the crews to be for
chilly removed OF to let the territorial
authorities place armed guards aboard
them, and the local authorities feal
that If an attempt is made to move
them out through the channel with the
crews aboard, one or more of them
would be sunk squarely across the
channel, blocking II for months. The
territorial authorities felt that it il
safer to have the vessels where they
are, where they can be watched and
prevented from doing irreparabIe
damage.
With the Setos removed from Piel
l6 to berth alongside the Pommern
at Pier 7, not so many wheryes would
be damaged If one of the vessels
should be blown up
A guess may be hazarded, too, that
the fact that Pier adjoins Pier 8
which is still uncompleted and which
! until it is completed belongs to Hack
field & Co., may have something to d.
with. the determination of the harbol
board TO leave the vessels where they
are. No territorial official, however
; will admit that this is one Of the &C
tuating reasons. There are plenty o.
things, however, that no territorial of
fetal will admit Just now.