Evening star., 1939-10-10

theories - one \
that submarine
would attack the David Lawrence.
Iroquois, and the other that an in
ternal explosion, resulting possibly
from a time bomb, would sink the
ship.
The Government ordered warships
and Coast Guard vessels to meet the
Iroquois at sea, which ought to
establish once and for all whether
submarine attack was contemplated.
But the presence of these patrol
vessels would not be able to prevent
an internal explosion on the Iroquois
resulting from a bomb.
Orders have been sent to the
master of the Iroquois to search
his ship for explosives, but 1t is
difficult task to perform at sea, espe-
cially since bombs could have been
concealed in trunks or baggage
loaded in the hold of the ship. 1t
is not easy to go through every
trunk and to dig among the numer-
Gus crevices of ship to locate
bomb.
The suspicion that a bomb may
have been planted on the IroQuois
either in an English or Irish port
fits In somewhat with the fact that
the Germans officially warned our
Naval Attache in Berlin. If the
German espionage system discovered
the plot and did not wish to reveal
Its sources OF information, the
admiralty in Berlin would be quick
to pass on the information to the
American Embassy if only for the
reason that such an explosion would
be blamed on German submarine.
Britain Feels Bombs.
There have been in the last few
months several bomb outrages in
Great Britain in which time bombs
have been planted in railway sta
tions supposedly by irish terrorists,
but nobody here can imagine why
any Irish faction would seek to
injure an American passenger ship.
There is possibility also that the
bombs planted in England have not
been the work of Irish terrorists at
all, but part of the German sabotage
system. The extent to which sabo-
tage Is playing part in the present
war can be cleaned only occasionally
from dispatches telling of mysteri-
GUS explosions in various belligerent
countries. Not long ago explosions
in both German and British num-
ton plants were recorded in the
press and were believed to have been
caused by planted bombs.
American citizens who have
friends aboard the Iroquois have
been assured by the Government
here that the ship is probably the
safest at sea-" but this Is doubtless
based on the supposition that only
q submarine attack could hurt the
Iroquois. or that rigid enough
search has been made aboard the
vessel for possible explosives.
The circumstances under which
the German warning was given
have aroused in Britain the cry that
the Germans have criminal knowl-
edge Of an attack on an American
vessel. But, looking at it solely from
the German point of view, If they
are innocent and believe the Iro-
quois Is going to be sunk, they would
not hesitate a moment to bear the
stigma Of such criticism until such
time as they are able to disclose
fully the source Of their informa-
ton.
Athena Still "a Mystery"
Various theories are being circu-
lated here to the effect that the
whole thing is hoax designed to
frighten American shipping and to
keep Americans from travelling on
the high seas irrespective of the out
come Of the embargo fight. Another
theory is that an attempt is being
made to cover up on the Athena
disaster. But 1t is significant that
while the Athena was sunk several
weeks ago, the American Govern
ment has not protested to Berlin
and details have not been disclosed
which would make 1t absolutely GER
tain that submarine did the
damage. Affidavits have been re-
ceived from persons aboard the
Athena to the effect that they saw
a submarine, but for some strange
reason the American Government
has not ofncially accepted that ex-
PLANTATION as yet It may well be
that there are facts which may bear
out the theory Of an internal explo-
sion, but this would not necessarily
mean that the Germans are right
In their fantastic assertion that the
British did 1t, or that the British
are right In supposing that the Ger
mans planted the bomb.
It is conceivable that another set
Of alien influences has been put to
work on bomb sabotage, and the
voyage Of the Iroquois probably will
clear up that aspect one way or the
other before many days have passed.
If the Iroquois Is damaged by 4
time bomb due to explode when the
ship nears the east coast Of the
United States, the whole world will
demand details from Berlin, and an
incident Of grave proportions be-
tween Germany and the United
States may arise unless explanations
are forthcoming. The best news
Berlin and Washington can have is
the safe arrival Of the 1roquois in
port this week.
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