German government asked the USA for crews of neutral sailors according to the Dutch newspaper Het vaderland dated 15 February 1915

An item dated Washington, USA 14th referred to an official request of Germany in which the USA was asked to advise the shipping companies to crew their ships only with sailors of neutral countries. The American authorities believed that the Germans wanted to avoid that sailors of enemy countries serving in such ships after returning from German harbours could inform their governments of military details.