Arizona republican., 1916-02-21
Proposed Plan of Aiding Belgium by Rehabilitating Industries Fails Because Seizure of Material and Products Imminent
SIR EDWARD GREY
 GIVES REASONS
British Foreign Minister Writes Letter to M. Fly mans, Belgian Minister in London Telling Why the Plan Does Not Succeed
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

LONDON, Feb. 20.-The proposed plan of aiding Belgium to feed herself by rehabilitating the industries of the country under control of the American commission for Relief in Belgium has failed, according to a letter written by Sir Edward Grey, the British foreign secretary to M. Hymans, the Belgian minister here, because the Germans thus far have failed to reply to the re- quest for guarantees that raw mater ials or manufactured goods will not be seized by the occupying armies.
 Sir Edward Grey's letter to the Bel sian minister follows;
 Dear Minister: During the last month you have represented to me frequently the condition of industries in that part of Belgium occupied by the enemy and the need for the inn port of raw material if those indus tries were to be saved from ruin and universal unemployment and distress prevented.
 I now enclose a memorandum which shows the true state of the case l should add that the question here dealt with is entirely distinct from the importation of foodstuffs into Belgi- um by the relief commission. as to which the attitude of his ma jesty's government remains that recently stated to parlament-that the govern ment will facilitate the work of the commission as long and insofar as the work is carried on under adequate neu- tral supervision, completely indepen- dent of German control and in com pliance with conditions laid down from time to time by his majesty's govern ment.
 (Signed) "E. GREY"
 The memorandum referred to by Sir Edward Grey is in part as follows:
 Tt is understood there is strong feeling among the Belgians that the industrial distress of Belgium is to be attributed solely to the action of the allied governments in preventing i'm ports and it is often contended that this action does not appreciably harm Germany while it involved a most painful loss to the people of our ally"
 The memorandum then explains that the British government cannot agree that Belgian industry can be main tained in the present circumstances without very considerable benefit to Great Britain's enemies and without involving d postponement of Belgian independence. But the government, it says, is fully impressed with the ne cessity of supporting the Belgian pop ulation. For this reason it has sup ported the commission for relief in Belgium and permitted export trade from Belgium under certain condi- tions. Also for this reason, the mem orandum adds. the government some months ago asserted it's willingness to consider proposals for the importation of raw materials into Belgium through the agency and under the guarantees of the relief commission.
 The undertakings demanded from the Germans in connection with this scheme" the memorandum continues were simple. They were to permit the free importation of raw materials and the export of manufactured goods made from such materials through the relief commission. They were to re- spect and make free from all embargo or requisition any stocks of similar raw materials or manufactured goods still remaining in the country. They were in general to treat any factory thus supplied by the commission as enjoying the same privileges and i'm munites as one of the commissiOn's warehouses"
 The memorandum, after explaining that it had been hoped the plan would have reduced unemployment and re- lieved the population of much O. the distress which is inseperable from Bel gium's unfortunate position, says | was submitted to the German authOri ties at Brussels by the relief commls sion four months, but, although inqui' ries were made, no reply of any kint was received from the Germans. Int
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