New-York tribune., 1918-02-02
Officials Indorse
Order Holding Up
Spanish Ships Here
Vessels Have Been Under
Special Scrutiny Since
u. S. Entered War
Trade Board Attacked
Freight Agent Says Constant
Changing of Instructions
Caused Trouble

Government officials at this port who
have had more or less to do with the
handling of steamships of the Com
psnia Trasatlantica Spanish Linc) ex-
pressed the opinion yesterday that the
Administration was ac.ing wisely and
lustitiably in restricting the departure
of tho company's steamships. These
vessels have been regarded with sus-
picion by the customs officials since the
United States entered the war, and no
neutral vessels entering the port have
been searched and guarded with more
care
The baggage of every traveller arriving
on steamships of the Spanish Line has
been ransacked with unusual attention
and the ships searched from stem to
stern on arrival and departure. The
immigration officials also have been
particular in their examination of ar
rivng passengers, and on various oc-
casions suspicious travellers have been
taken to Ellis Island.
Many Sailors Are I. w. w.
In searching the vessels and eXamin-
ing the crews the customs officials have
Rad an opportunity of learning some
thing of the Spanish seamen. tiremcn,
stokers and engineers. and IL is csti-
mated that at least 80 per cent of them
are members of the |. w. ".
Asserting that the origin of the pres
ent trouble is due to the arbitrary
methods of the War Trade Board, An
tonic Caragol. in charge of all freight
shipped to Spanish ports by the vessels
of the Compana Trasatlantica, scored
the Administration. yesterday for Bet
ting this veXing situation come to q
head Mr. Caragol is q British subject,
born and bred in England, although of
Spanish parents.
While refusing to say that the ode
tained' Spanish ships now at American
ports arc being held by orders from
Washington, Mr. Caragol admitted that
it had been generally known in ship
ping circles for three weeks that this
situation was bound to occur
Charges Vacillation
eve have never known from one
week to another what we were allowed
to export" said Mr.. Caragol.
I'VE would receive An order from
Spain, agree to fill it as we had been
permitted to do the week or month be-
fore, and when we applied at Washing
ton for a license we would be told that
this material or merchandise was under
an embargo. We would notify our firms
in Spain and naturally they would be
very angry. This happened to every
one who sont exports to Spain, and
naturally caased a great deal of feel
ing and finally led to reprisas back
and forth.
"America has always sent to Spain
cotton and lubricating oils. Spain has
depended entirely on America for these
things. When the cotton was placed
on the list of embargoed goods hum
dreds of thousands of people were
thrown out of work in the North of
Spain.
Spanish Railroads Tied Up
"It is quite true that Spain is unable
TO send supplies to Pershing because
her railroads have broken down. This
country used to send materials neces-
sary for the maintenance and develop
ment of railroad traffic. Since the
Spanish government has commenced to
feel the shortage due to the export
proclamation of the War Trade Board
her industrial status has been upset
and she has been prevented from the
prompt fulhllment of contracts which
had been placed by the Allies and the
Before the United States went into
the war. Allied countries were being
supplied by Spain without much troubl,
with motors, automobiles and othel
things. But after the War Trade
Board made difficulties about exports
Spaln's hands were tied
IL wish to deny as emphatically as
possible the report that German pas
sengers carried on the Spanish Line
and that our piers are filled with in
dividuals who speak German. Ii is az
absolute lie. At the beginning Of the
war we signed the bunker rules with
the British government, and since then
we have kept our oath not to carry q
single enemy subject from Germany
Austria or Turkey on any of oul
twenty-three vessels.
Difficulties of Neutrality
"No matter what happens. Spain can
rot we'll enter the war. Half of her
population is pro- German and the 9TH
~ half pro-Ally. Whichever way she
Jumped would mean an immediate in
ternal revolution like Russia's She
must remain neutral. But as neu-
trail she cannot prohibit wireless mes
sages to Germany any moro than this
country could when it was in q like
position.
''In the same way in which the
Deutschland and other German sub
marines called at United States ports
prior to the entrance of America in the
war the U-boats have put into Spanish
ports. But now there is law which
prohibits them from calling and pro-
vides for their internment if they do
call.
Senor Francisco Javia Salas, Consul
General of Spain, feels that the United
States has acted unfairly toward Spain
Our cotton exports, amounting to
more than $21 100000 in 1916, were
taken away by the United States, which
laid tremendous hardship on ou,
workers, while Switzerland, next door
to Germany, still gets cotton, oil, gaso,
lene and grain" he said yesterday al
MS offices, IS Broadway
ut is ridiculous for the newspapers
70 say that we smuggle goods to Ger
many by way of Switzerland. Any one
may examine a map and see that in
order to do this we would have to bribe
French officials over stretch of 500
miles of French territory that separates
Spain from the Swiss port of entry
How can you expect Spain TO feel
friendly if America continues to be
unjust to her? There is no chance