Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-13
LAW PERMITTING
U. S. REGISTRY OF
ALIEN SHIPS SURE
Congress conferees Agree on
Favorable Action as to Coast
wise Trade.

WASHINGTON, Aug. .1s.-House
and Senate conferees on the emer-
gency shipping bill today reached a
complete agreement, recommending to
Congress that foreign built vessels
registered under the act be permitted
10 engage in the coastwise trade with
In two years from its passage.
The conferees had agreed upon
proposal to open American
coastwise trade to foreign built yes
sells admitted TO American registry
during the next two years under the
pending Panama canal act amend
ment.
The amendment as it passed the
House was designed as an emergency
measure to relieve the congestion of
oversee commerce owing to the with
drawai of the great fleets of the ma
tons involved in the European war
The Senate amended the bill so as
10 admit foreign built ships to the
trade between Atlantic and Pacifc
ports of the United States and on
the Gulf and Great Lakes and out of
this proposal grew the agreement.
The conference report was to be
presented to both houses today and
indications were that it would pre-
cipitate lively debate. particularly
the proposal to open coastwise trade
to foreign-built vessels. which is be-
ing vigorously opposed by shipping
and shipbulding interests
A formal decision by Solicitor john
son, of the state department. is be-
Heved to have removed any doubt
over the question as to the right to
change the register of a ship owned
by belligerent In time of war
Requirements of international law,
he contends, demand that no trans
fer of a vessel shall be made In a
biockaded port or while the ship is
on the high seas. He declares, how
ever. that with this limitation it sim
ny Is necessary that the sale be made
in good faith. with no intention to
eyade the consequences TO which an
enemy would be exposed and with no
understanding expressed or tacit.
that the vessel is to be retransferred
after hostilities."
1.-THE right of neutrals." says Soli-
citor Johnson. ito purchase merchant
Ships from belligerents in time of
war is based upon, and is indeed part
of the right of neutrals to continue
In time of war to trade with belli-
gerents, which right is undoubtedly
Subject to certain exceptions relating
principally to contraband and block
aue. TnlS right 10 lraue Win Delll-
pr rents is of universal recognition,
although on occasions 1t has been
denied in practice.
s"During the Napoleonic wars the
French and British governments as
s,imed to dictate the trade in which
neutrals should be permitted to en-
gnge with the belligerents and to
prohibit them from trading with
feliigerents altogether But these
DEGREES met with the firmest resist
ance on the part of the American
government at the time. and after the
occasions which produced them had
passed the English government was
compelled to renounce and abandon
them.
THE commerce of neutrals should
not be interrupted by the exigencies
of war. The right of the citizens of a
neutral country to trade in merchant
vesSels belonging to the citizens of a
belligerent, with certain well-defined
exceptions. may be said to be of we'll
nigh universal admission"
The solicitor asserts that the Lon