New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-25
GERMANY PLEDGES
HANDS OFF CARGO
London Gets Wilhelmina
Declaration, Signed
by Won JagOw.
GUARANTEE ATTESTED
BY JAMES w. GERARD
Promise Also Applies TO All
Vessels Carrying Food
from America.

London. Feb 24.-W. l. Brooking, a
member Of the firm Of W. L. Green
Co., commission merchants, of St
Louis, owners Of the cargo on the
American ship Wilhelmina, reached
London to-day from Berlin with a dec
laration from the German Foreign
Office signed by Gottlicb Won Jagow, the
Foreign Minister. and attested by
James ". Gerard, the American Am
bassador 90 Germany, which pledges
the German government not TO assume
control Of the cargo of the Wilhel-
nina or Of any other vessels arriving
from America. The declaration says
that such cargoes may be sold in the
open market and that they will not be
used by the army or the navy.
The case of the Wilhelmina soon is
TO come before a British prize court
She was loaded with a cargo of food
products in New York and started for a
German port. She was gathered in by
the British marine authorities, and the
disposal Of her cargo is being watched
with much interest.
The text Of the German declaration
follows:
by motion of William L. Brooking,
manager of the Green Commission
Company, Of ST. Louis, the Imperial
government makes the following dec
laration: The cargo of the steamer
Wilhelmins, as we'll as the cargoes of
vessels arriving in the future from
America with food for Germany, shall
be subject neither to seizure nor to
selling right, nor to any other govern
ment measure taken in connection with
the maximum prices, according to the
measures already issued for home
grown wheat. The cargo OF the Will
helmina, as well as all future similar
carcoes, shall remain the property Of
the American owners, and 1t can be
sold by them at any place at the price
asked.
Food coming in this manner to Ger
many shall not be used for either the
army or the navy, or for any other
government purposes. The American
owners Of such cargoes shall be per
mitted 10 impose upon buyers the OBJ
legation that this food be not used for
the army or the navy, or for other
government purposes
In support of the contention that the
German conservation regulations do
not apply to imported grains. Mr.
Brooking said to-day that Rumanian
grains had been freely dealt in since
the beginning of the war and that at
all times the prices on them had
ranged much higher than the maximum
prices for home grown grains, in some
cases nearly double.
Mr.. Brooking says that some anti
American sentiment has been created
in Germany over the large expectation
of arms and ammunition to Great Brit
ain from America. However" said
Mr.. Brooking, well informed Germans
fully realize that there is no illegality
in this. Still, they are anxious to see
what stand the American government
will take relative TO the expectation of
foodstufFs to Germany whether the
United States will insist upon its legal
rights when this favors Germany"
Captain Brewer. of the Wilhelmina,
and A. W. Hays, attorney for the own
ers of the cargo, called on Ambassador
Page to-day and discussed the status
of the cargo, which is now actually in
the possession of a prize court. The
date for the hearing before this court
has not been fixed.