Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1914 — Can’t Build Submarines For Belligerents During the War. [ARTICLE]

Can’t Build Submarines For Belligerents During the War.

Last week a report reached Washington that the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, of which Charles M. Schjvab is president, was building n number of submarines for delivery to one of the belligerentgjn the European war. Mr. Schwab was called to Washington, the matter was given consideration and he was informed that the delivery of submarines would be a violation of the spirit of neutrality of the United States. Mr. Schwab - informed Secretary Bryan that before he began the construction he had the opinion of several “international” lawyers on the subject and that they were convinced that neutrality was not violated. He thinks differently now and says he will abide by the order. Strange, is it not, that a great corporation would hire international lawyers to advise them the way they wanted to he advised when in a matter so grave the only correct place to get information was from the state department where it would be given free of charge. It don’t take an international lawyer nor a very shrewd secretary of state to determine that the construction of any implements of warfare for one of the belligerent powers was a grave violation of neutrality and should any ordinary individual do as much they would be made to answer for it, but Mr. Schwab with his “international” advisers a# his elbow was secretly building the submarines and planning to secretly deliver them. These war craft could not possibly have been delivered to Germany and were doubtless for England. The United States must not let its anxiety for business permit it to take sides against 'Germany, which is so situated that it can not buy.