Evening star., 1915-05-23

of the Depa rtment of State, who have
been in a personal capacity represent
ing the importers of the United states,
Mr.. Rose and Mr.. Fleming have dectded
that they cannot continue these CONFER
ences until certain of the dificulties
thehave been removed, and they nave
therefore made full report OF what
has taken place to the Department OF
State and will await its action.
No Recognition of Order.
Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the British am
bassador here called on Secretary
Bryan yesterday to explain that he
also had always understood the United
States government was not to be con-
sidered as having recognized the Brit
ish order in council. irrespective of the
assistance given the cotton shippers by
the foreign trade advisers of the State
Department. Some error is understood
to have been made IN London on the
subject.
While officials of the department were
reticent concerning the differences re-
ferred to by the foreign trade advisers,
these are understood to relate to cor
respondence between British ofhclals
and the advisers Offering plan for
the treatment of the American owned
goods. Originally the time limit for
the shipment out of Germany of Amer
lc9n goods OruereQ De1OTe hdiCl 1 "'.'
set for June l, but the British govern
ment announced several days ago that
this period had been extended until
June Is.
In granting this concession BRITISH
officials are understood to nave re
United States government, and tins, as
well as other features of the plan
whereby American owned goods were
to be shipped through neutral ports
ff-x.y he
were of such a character as to cause
the State Department to believe that
any acquiescence would be construed
as a legal recognition of the British
order in council.
Until a different understanding is
reached or the plan for the handling
of American owned goods is vitally
changed. the foreign trade advisers
will not participate in any conferences
on behalf of American importers or eN
porters individually, American mer-
chants. of course, can continue their
negotiations with the British govern
ment either through the British en-
bassy here or a London.
Protest Against Order.
The trade advisers had sent out a
circular to American merchants inter-
ested in the situation explaining the
contents of the American note OF
March 80 protesting against the Brit
ish order in council, and adding this
statement:
While the government of the United
States cannot in any way lend its aid
in an official and formal manner to
procuring American-oWned goods now
IN Germany for the importers of the
United States, which would in the
slightest degree amount TO recoSni-
tion of the position of Great Britain
in respect to non raband goods.
especially from neutral ports, the
office of the foreign trade advisers OF
the department will aid informally
American importers who desire to pre-
sent proof of ownership of American
goods in Germany for which American
importers claim to have made pay
ment prior TO March l, 1918.
Robert F. Rose. and William B. Flem-
ing, foreign trade advisers, have since
been engaged in daily conferences with
Sir Richard Crawford. commercial at
tache of the British embassy. well
as Sir Cecil Sprin g-Rice. to assist
American merchants in presenting evil
dence of ownership. Another circu-
lar is now in preparation to advise
shippers of the suspension of these
conferences.
British embassy officials here were
silent as to the cause of the difficulty
and there is some reason to expect
statement clarifying the situation from
the British foreign office or through
the embassy here.