Evening journal., 1915-05-24
british HOLD-UP
us. EXPORTS MAY.
CAUSE RUPTURE
President Will Ask SuSpen-
sion of "Order in Council"
Affecting Neutral Shipments
PACKERS insist that
The Government ACT
BY The United Press.


WASHINGTON, May 24.-President
Wilson will be asked to take steps to
secure the British order-in-council's
suspension, so far as it affects Amer
lcan exports TO neutral countries con-
tiguous to Germany. The country's
great packing industries are effecting
a combination with the southern cot
ton interests. The aim is to secure
concerted action, thus impressing the
administration with an idea of the
damage that is being done to Amer
lean trade by the attempt of England
and her allies to starve Germany out.
In order to do so. it is complained
that England has practically stopped
American shipments to the neutral
Scandinavian countries, particularly
every vessel carrying meat products
or cotton to Scandinavia or to Hol-
land having been held up on the
high seas by British or French war
ships and taken into port. The own
ers of vessels and cargoes have been
compelled to fight for their rights in
the British prize courts and there
have been delays that have caused
them serious financial loss.
President Wilson is to be asked to
demand, in the name of the United
States. that this be stopped Repre-
sentative of the big packing houses
are here or on their way. to appeal to
him and confer with Senator Hoke
Smith on plans for concerted action,
Smith being the great cotton shippers
authorized representative
Among the packers included are; j.
Ogden Armour, Gustavus s. Swift, Jr.,
Thomas E. Wilson. r. c. McManus.
James Jacobsen. H. ]. Patten, Arthur
Meeker and Alfred UriOn. The latter,
who is due today, represented the
packers in their negotiations with the
British Admiralty, and will report
first hand on the obstacles encounter
ed in trying to get cargoes turned
loose.
II dveloped today that, in the ne
gotiations between the State Depart
ment's trade advisers and Sir Rich
ard Crawford, the British embassy 5
representative, several attempts have
been made to place the United States
in the position of at least seeming
to have accepted the order-in-council' S
provisions. Although the British
foreign Offices original note, offer
ing free passage TO all American
goods bought in Germany and paid
for before March ! had no time limit
in II, the British foreign Office, on
May II, sent a peremptory cablegram
of the embassy here, fixing June
as the limit beyond which American
lowned goods. if purchased in Ger
many, would not be permitted free
passage on the high seas even in neu-
trail bottoms. At the embassys re-
quest, this time limit-which had
never been asked for or recognized
by the United States-was extended
to June IS, but was coupled with q
demand that the State Department
officially agree to it.
Instead, the State Department simpl,
affirmed its original opposition to III
order in-council and broke off all unoiii
cial negotiations.
What further American action vii
now be taken has not been determined
Ambassador Page has been instructed T.
tell the British foreign Office that tn
facts in no way bear out its declaration
that the United States has accepted tn
British Admiralty's plans. 1t is deeme
British government may now send for
ward its delayed reply to the America
note refusing to agree to the order-in
councils restrictions.
There will be no further action
however, by this government unit
the German situation is cleared up
The Italian crisis is expected to re
suit in further delay but officials
were hopeful today that the repl,
would be in the Presidents hands b,
the latter part of this week.
1t is taken for granted now tina
the reply will not be final, but un
less it accepts the general principle
that American lives must be respect
ed anywhere. diplomats agreed it 4
likely to precipitate a distinctly ser
Ious situation.