New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-27
LANSING HEARS
PLEA
FOR SEA RIGHTS
They Refuse to Submit to
Trade Destruction by Brit
ish Without Protest.
SECRETARY HOPES
FOR MODIFICATION
English Compensation of No
Value When Steamers Won't
Take German Goods.


Iron The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, June 26.-Secretary OF
State Lansing assured group Of New
York importers who called on him to-
day to protest against the holding up
Of their shipments from Germany and
neutral countries by Great Britain that
the President and he were determined
to do all in their power 70 aid them IN
securing the rights which under tne
laws of nations and by treaty were
rightly theirs.
Without committing himself, the Sec
rotary gave the committee to under
stand that il might expect some favor
able action on the part of the fNelgn
nations in response to the State De-
partments representations.
The view was taken after the confer
ence that the United States. as already
indicated in The Tribune, would send
sharp protest TO Great Britain con-
corning the holding up Of non-contra-
band goods.
Secretary Lansing was given con.
siderable data about the grievances OF
the importers by the committee. lie was
/ told that there was a vast congestion
of goods, largely Of German origin, IN
/ Rotterdam and other neutral ports,
which were consigned TO this country,
hut which il was next to imposs bic 70
bring here, with the result that the
American importers, many of whom had
already sold the goods to retailers or
iobbers, were suffering a large nnan-
cial loss.
Steamships Refuse Goods.
Steamship lines were unwilling in
most instances to handle the goods
MIR. lansing was told, because they
were certa n to be seized and ta6en
into English ports, with the resulting
DELAY and danger to other parts OF the
cargo and the loss OF earning power
while detained.
TIE value of the goods detained in
Rotterdam for these reasons alone
amounted to more than S5OOJO'JOO' MI.
Lansing was told.
"The mere fact that Great Britain
does not threaten contiscauon OF our
goods if they are shipped, says me
rotition. does not concern MS, because,
frst we cannot get them shipped and,
secondly. because we are interested n
the much greater question Of lawfully
obtairirr an uninterrupted su95.r OF
our A,e~!can owned merchandise,
whether Tie same has been paid for,
contracted toY or may be contracted
for in the future.
eve are not compensated by pay
ment for 4 particular cargo efter icgal
proceedings in the British courts, Tor
we are concerned in maintaining the.
long established trade of this country
and preventing a sacrifice of American
cauital invested in our commerce.
During 1914 and the early part OF
this year we placed large contracts Tor
merchandise to be manufactured Dy
German and Austrian concerns. We
have obligated ourselves TO take this
merchandise, and now that considera-
HE norton of such merchandise is
finished and ready for shipment, the
manufacturers are demanding payment
for the same. We are in the quandry
Of having 10 pay for our merchandise
and M the same time being unable to
got our merchandise. In addition, we
: have sold much Of this merchandise to
/ American business houses, to whom
we are now responsible for the deliv-
/ cry Of such goods.
| "The concession of the British gov
eminent that we may receive SUCH
/ goods as have been paid for prior to
1 March / is Of no avail to US. The I'M
dersigned are responsible American
houses enjoying a good credit who IN
/ general do not have to pay for their
merchandise before it is delivered"
Adding that the British requirement
. that shipment must be effected PRIOR
to June Is was likewise of no avail,
/ because a great bulk OF our orders
was not ready for shipment by June
/ 49," the petition asserts that the Brit
| ish order is an anomalous principle of
B international law which cannot affect
the rights of citizens of great neutral
power"
The importers promised TO send de-
| tailed statements 10 Secretary Lam
/ sing showing the amount Of goods thus
/ held up and the financial injury suf-
fered in consequence. These facts, 1t
is expected, Mr.. Lansing will use in
/ the protest TO England.
The committee was headed by Lee
Kohns, of l. Straus & Sons, Of New
York, with Judge T. S. Sharretts as
counsel. Following the conference
/ the committee met at the Willard Ho-
/ tel, and issued a statement containing
/ the following:
Expect Favorable Action.
"The Secretary expressed a determi-
/ nation on the part of the President
and himself to do all in his power to
aid the importers of our country in
securing the rights to which they are
entitled under the laws of nations and
/ by treaty obligations, and expressed
his full sympathy with the importers
in their present unfortunate state;
and, without committing himself, gave
( the committee to understand that il
might expect some favorable action on
/ the part Of the foreign nations in re-
| sponsc to the State Departments rep
/ reservations"
/ After the conference Secretary Lam
/ sing said the State Department had
not considered any such action as an
/ embargo on goods bound to England
[ in the event Of that country not COM
/ plying with what this government re-
| garded as reasonable demands on un-
restricted trade with neutrals in non
contraband. Secretary Of Commerce
I Redfeld also made il clear that he did
not expect such an embargo. This
would be cutting the United States of
( from its best customer, it was pointed
out.
EXpT OGT0N (TNKC