New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-25
English Did Not Halt Hos
pital Supplies Shipped
to Germany.
RUBBER SMUGGLED;
RED CROSS FAVORED
u. S. Slow in Forwarding Teuton
Reply-Fight Against Typhus
in Mexico.
Iron II. Tribue. Bureau J

] Washington. Dec. 24.-Reports print
ed to-day that Great Britain had re-
fused TO permit the shipment Of hos
pital supplies 10 Geymany brought forth
q quick and indignant denial from the
British Embassy.
Ambassador Spring-Rice issued a
statement declaring that his govern
ment had clearly defined its position as
early as last May. when it sent TO the
State Department list of articles
which IL was prepared 20 regard as hos
pitsl goods and admit 10 Germany, pro-
vided Germany would agree to it. II
was not until two weeks ago that the
! United States transmitted the answer
Of the German government 20 the en-
bsssy.
I 1t was learned at the State Depart
ment that Germany's reply had been re-
ceiyed there more than month before,
but no explanation of the delay in COM
muniesting it TO Ambassador Spring
Rice could be obtained. So far as il.
known. also, the State Department has
never sent Great Britain any such pro-
test regarding Red Cross shipments, as
was described in to-day's dispatches
from Washington.
Rubber Smuggling Feared.
Ambassador Spring Rice. in ref
erence 20 the case, stated:
The facts are as follows: On May
II tho British government communi-
Gated to the United States government
list of articles which they were pre-
pared to accept as coming within the
description contained in the Declara
tion Of London, Article 20 %, as ar
ticles serving exclusively to aid the
sick and wounded.
Rubber goods, such as gloves and
rubber sheets, were not included i'm
this list, rubber being contraband Of
war. The British government. how
ever, offered to allow all hospital
stores, whether Oh the list or not. 20
pass freely on receipt OF a guarantee
that these stores should be used ex-
clusively by the American Red Cross
and destroyed after being used.
This guarantee the American Red
Cross were unable 10 give, their units
having been withdrawn from Europe.
They have recently applied for per
mits for very large consignment of
rubber goods, on account of Meth
erlands society for the use OF the
German Red Gross In Southeastern Eu-
rope, including 1000 metres Of rubber
tubing and 1000 square metres of rub
Der sheeting. This proposal. in view
OF recent attempts to smugLle rubber
into Germany requires careful consid-
Grafton, and is now before the Allied
governments"
The executive committee OF the
American Red Cross. in session yester-
day afternoon al the home of Robert
W. de Forest, with former President
Taft presiding. discussed the probsbili-
ties of England's placing an embargo
on all Red Cross hospital supplies 70
Germany and the Central Powers. and
decided TO do everything in its power to
prevent such action.
Members Of the committee said, at
the close Of yesterdays session, that
II was true that for about two months
the American Red Cross has been un-
ment permits 10 ship hospital supplies
TO Germany, without which permits the
goods could not be shipped. but there
had been as yet no order positively de
nying these permits under all crcum
stances.
Typhus in Mexico.
A statement given out by Mr.. de For
est, vice-president Of the society last
night follows;
"The information received by the
Red Cross from Mexico made il plain
that typhus fever has assumed alarm
ing proportions, creating situation
there somewhat similar TO the recent
situation in Serbia. The following res
olution was adopted;
THAT, subject TO the necessary per-
mission from and cooperation of the
Mexican government, the American Red
Cross is prepared to send to Mexico a
competent corps of physicians, sani-
tarisns and nurses to combat the pres
ent epidemic of typhus fever in Mex
leo and to cooperate with the Mexican
government and Mexican physicians TO
that end
Respecting the statement made in
this mornings papers that Great Brit
ain had barred hospital supplies 10 Ger
many. Austria-H Hungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey, il Is true that for several weeks
past the Red Cross has been unable to
secure permits for the shipments of
such supplies Negotiations intended
TO obtain such permits are being
earnestly carried on in expectation that
they may be soon issued"
1t was learned last night that hos
pital supplies amounting to hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars worth have
been and are being sent to the Allies
in Europe.
Those present at the executive COM
mittee meeting yesterday were William
Howard Taft, Robert ". de Forest,
Major General Arthur Murray. Miss
Mabel T. Bosrdmsn, Surgeon General
William c. Gorgas. L. s. A.; Surgeon
General William c. BREASTED, L. S. N;
Charles d. Norton. Alfred r. White
and Ernest B. Bicknard.