The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1914-09-03
GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND
RUSSIA DlSPAvoR AMERICAN
SCHEME FOR BUILDING
MARINE.
DECLARE ACTION WOULD Be
TANTAMOUNT TO BIG LOAN
Equal Division Of Purchase From Bel.
Iigerents Might Be Satisfactory,
However, 1t Is Admitted
cargoes Might Cause
Difficulties.

United States informally that they
would look with disfavor on the pur.
chase by this government of German
merchant steamers to relieve condi.
tons growing out of the European
war;, n also to build up an American
merchant marine. While not convey.
ed n any diplomatic correspondence,
their position, nevertheless, has been
vigorously set forth to President viii.
son and Secretary Bryan.
France Took Initiative.
France took the initiative, Ambassa.
dol Jusserand carrying his objections
to President Wilson in his recent in.
terview at the White House. George
Bahkmeteff, the Russian ambassador,
conferred with the British and French
ambassadors Monday and later saw
Secretary Bryan.
All three diplomats held that there
was no precedent in international law
for the purchase by a neutral nation
of any great quantity of ships from a
belligerent.
Chief Objection Urged.
The chief objection urged is that the
transaction would establish a large
gold credit in the hands of Germany.
The diplomats point out that the Ger.
man steamship companies are closely
AFFILIATED with the German government
and to buy their ships, now marooned
IN American ports, would be tanta,
mNl1nf tn fgyrnichi~~ 0o-.~-. =.
large loan.
Should the American government.
however, distribute it's purchases of
ships equally among the belligerent
nations, they do not believe there
wou1 be objection from any quarter.
Difficulty Might Arise.
Considerable difficulty would arise.
however, it is asserted, if, for instance.
the crew of a German vessel, purchas.
ed by the United States, were retained
on it as the English and French gov.
ernments would not allow the nation.
ais OF any b%elligerent to land from
neutral ships at their ports.
Aside from the question of possible
financial aid to Germany and compli.
cations over the crews of the vessels.
the European diplomats who are or.
posed to the plan believe difficulties
would arise with reference to the
cargoes of the American ships.
Question Of Cargo.
Their efforts in the presen: was has
been to sweep German commerce from
the seas and they look on any means
to supply any food to Germany or
Austria as an u%nneutral act.
Administration officials here have
declared that the new ships would
carry only articles which were speci.
fically defined as not contraband of
war, but it is the belief of the diplo.
mats that their governments would
object even to conditional c%ontraband.
thus restricting considerably any com.
merce with belligerents.
Position Made Clear.
The European diplomats have en-.
deavored to point out that they desire
In no way to interfere with the up.
building of an American merchant
marine and wish it success in neutral
countries, but they think the Ameri.
a governments ships could not be
made available for commerce with the
b%elligerent countries of Europe.
Secretary Bryan's only comment on
the reception of the ship purchase
plan was:
I'VE have no yet reached the point
of purchase"
other officials pointed out, however,
that the main purpose sought in urg.
ing government purchase of merchant
craft should be to build up trade
with South and Central America, the
difficulties of carrying on commerce
with belligerent nations having been
fully realized.