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Show SCHWAB VISITS I SEE. BRYAN I I Building of Warships or Ma Hg! terials for Ships to Be Sent H9 Abroad Discussed. Ek NEUTRALITY QUESTION I Fitting Out of War Vessels or flfiS Any Armed Expedition Hk Violation of Law. W$ Washington, Dec. 2 Secretary Bjj Bryan today invited Charles M . E Schwab, president of the Bethlehem iEfl Steel company, to the state depart- M&M men and gave him the views of the KSfl American government on the buildlne Hr? of Mibmarinea in this country' for Furopean belligerents. wt& Mr Bryan declined to disclose the E$ position of the American government. 6 He declared the question was not yet Bffi concluded, but "under consideration." Mr Schwab, accotripanled by two as- Wjt sist.tnts, also refused to discuss their Igjgfj mission. 1?' Warship Building Discussed. WL "Mr. Schwab came," said Mr. Bryan W&r "in response to our inquiry concern- E'; Sng the niauufacture in this country of ships or materials for ship build- me? lie. ent reports that the Bethlehem raj Steel company had contracted to build submarines, which ould be ray shipped abroad in sections, have been Ki-j denied and partially confirmed. wM. The visit of Mr. Schwab, however. mp, revealed that the state department I had taken official cognizance of the Bp;1 ! subjec t, although Secretary Bryan an- '. nounced yesterday that government at, y ag ntfl after a thorough investigation had been unable to learn that any t--' work was being done anywhere in Ri ttrs country in the construction of E Foreign warships or parts thereof. n It was believed, however, that the sut department desired to consult w witb the steel company officials so Hm there would be no 'Violations of neu-tiallty neu-tiallty if contracts were taken. Status of Neutrality Laws. While the export of munitions of J war such as guns, shells or aramu;:;- H :ii:i is not pn hiblted by the neutral it laws, the fitting out of warships Oi any armed expedition from Amer-lei Amer-lei c oil would be considered a vio j lation. During the Russo-Japanese war. ' however, an American firm built the I parts of seeral submarines consigned I them to its own agency in Russia and j I then sold them to the Russian government. gov-ernment. Although the transaction was kepi Bec'ret until the shipment v. .is concluded, it was generally held at that time that no law had been 'iolated. Big War Contracts Mr. Schwab recently returned from Europe where he visited Germany and ( England On his return it was said j he brought contracts for many million dollars worth of war supplies for the British government It was suggest- ari tndav that he miEhl also nave discussed that feature with Secretary Secre-tary Bryan. I American manufacturers of motor 'nicks recently have been making exhibition ex-hibition tests at Mr. Schwab's Beth- lehem plant and It has been reported that several hundred motors for mlli- tarv use were beins bought by Mr. j Schwab's company for the allies. j |
