The Washington times., 1917-02-08
GUNS ON AMERICAN
SHIPS AUTHORIZED
Government, However; Refuses
to Provide Conveys for
Vessels.
AMERICAN LINERS HELD
SaiIings of St. Louis and ST.
Paul Postponed Again
Pending Decision.

NEW YORK, Feb. s.-The State De-
partment has notified officials of the
American line and all American ship
owners that merchant vessels flying
the Stars and Stripes may arm to
fight of submarines.
President P. A, S. Franklin, of the
international Mercantile Marine,
which controls the American line, is
expected to announce today his de-
cisioH whether the steamship st. Louis
and other ships of the line shall
mount guns.
Meanwhile, and until officials Of
the American line decide whether il
is their duty to provide guns and
gunners in the absence of protection
by United States warships, the st.
Louis and st. Paul, now In this port,
will not sail. An announcement was
made by President Franklin last night
that the sailings OF these ships has
been indefinitely postponed.
Notified BY Landing.
Notification of their right to arm
came to the line at 5 p. m. yesterday
in the form of a telegram from Sec
retary of State Lansing. The tele-
gram avoided mention OF the Gov
ernment's refusal to provide navy
conveys, but the line officials were
aware, after telephone communi-
cation. that warship protection had
been refused.
Secretary Lansing's telegram was
as follows:
The Government cannot give ad-
vice to private persons as to whether
or not their merchant vessels should
sail on voyages to European ports by
which they would be compelled to
pass through waters delimited in the
declaration issued by the German
government on January 81. 1917.
at, however, asserts that the rights
OF American vessels to traverse all
parts OF the high seas are the same
now as they were prior to the is
suance of the German declaration,
and that a neutral merchant vessel
may. IL its owners believe 1t is liable
to be unlawfully attacked, take any |
necessary measures to prevent or re.
sist such attacks"
Waited for Instruction.
The American line officials hal
been in a quandary until Secretary |
They had waited vainly for days for
or as to their duty toward their
passengers. The message simplihed
the situation to the extent that the
line officials understand now that il |
protection is to be given passengers
and crews, il must be given by the
line Hself. The Government will do
nothing.
President Franklin and other OF.
ficials OF the line had hoped all along
that the Government would see the
wisdom of providing warship guards
to American vessels. When they
learned that there was no help to be
looked for from the navy they or
dered steamship agents everywhere
to discontinue bookings for American
line ships until further notice. This
means, OF course, that until the sit
uation is further cleared UP no pas.
sengers, save those who have already
paid down their money and engaged
will be carried to
or from Europe.
To Send Ont st. Louis.
The line is determined to send out
the steamship st. Louis, although the
question OF arming her may delay
her departure for several days. There
are various reasons for their belief
that the ship should sail, German SUD
or no. In the first place. the
line is under contract with the Post
office Department to carry United
States mail. In the second place. there
are fifty-two first cabin passengers
alone who demand the fulfilment of
the contract the line made with them
when money for tickets was accept
ed.
Two passengers were gained yes
terdsy before the notice to discon-
tinue bookings was sent out. Origi-
nalIy 40 persons were booked for
the first cabin. but many. who had
no real business in Europe, decided
they might as well postpone sailing.
The fifty-two who remain insist that
they have real business and won't
take back their ticket money.
Early Appeals FruItIess.
II is understood President Franklin
and the American line officials spent
days in trying to get the Government
TO reach some definite course OF
policy, but that all appeals and argu-
ments were fruitless until late yester
day when the message came that
American vessels had as much right
upon the seas Gf they were pleased