Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-21


Belgium to feed herself by rehabilitat-
ing the industries Of the country under
control of the American Commission
for Relief in Belgium, has failed, &C
cording to letter written by Sir Ed
ward Grey, the British foreign secre-
tary, to Nj. Hymans, the Belgian min
| lister here, because the Germans thus
far have failed to reply to the request
/ for guarantees that raw materials
and manufactured goods will not be
seized by the occupying armies.
! The American Relief Commission
some time ago proposed that certain
kinds of non-contraband raw mate
rails should be permitted to pass
| through the British blockade into Bel
GUM goods manufactured from them
to be re exported. 1t was proposed that
the balance Of trade thus created in
| favor of Belgium should be invested
in food, thus putting the population as
far as possible upon a self supporting
basis and checking the growing de-
liberalization, due to long unemploy-
ment.
Grey's Letter
Sir Edward Grey's letter to the Bel
gian minister follows:
Dear Minister:
During the last months YOU have
reported to me frequently the cond'-
ton of industries in that part of BEL
eium occupied by the enemy and the
need for the import of raw material
if those industries were to be saved
from ruin and universal unemploy-
ment and distress prevented.
Il 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 inn
portation of foodstuffs into Belgium
by the relief commission as to which
the attitude of His Majesty's govern
ment remains that recently stated to
/ Parliamert-the government will facili
tate the work of the commission as
long and insofar as the work is car
ried on under adequate neutral super
vision completely independent of Ger
man control and in compliance with
conditions laid down from time to time
by His Majesty's government
tSigned) ''E. GREY
The Memorandum
The memorandum referred to by Sir
Edward Grey is in part as follows:
1T is understood there is a strong
feeling among the Belgians that the in
dustrial 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 involves NOSE
painful loss to the people of our ally"
The memorandum then explains that the
British government cannot agree that
Belgian industry can be maintained in
the present circumstances without a very
considerable benefit to Great Britain 5
enemies and without involving a post
ponement of independence. But the gov
eminent. it says, is fully impressed with
the necessity of supporting the Belgian
population. For this reason it has sup
ported the commission for relief in Bel
GUM and permitted export trade from
! Belgium under certain conditions. Also
! for this reason. the memorandum adds,
the government some months ago assert
ed its Willingness to consider proposals
for the Importation of raw materials into
Belgium through the agency and undec
the guarantee of the relief commission.
THE undertakings demanded from the
Germans in connection with this scheme
the memorandum continues. were sim
pie. They were to permit the free i'm
portation of raw material and the export
of manufactured goods from such mate
rails through the relief commission. They
were to respect and make free from all
embargo or requisition any stocks of
goods still remaining in the country. They
were, in general treat any factory thus
supplied by the commission as enjoying
the same 'provileges and immunities as
one of the commissions warehouses.
The memorandum. after explaining that
1t had been hoped the plan would reduce
unemployment and relieve the population
of much of the distress which is insep-
arabic from Belgiums unfortunate posi-
ton. says it was submitted to the Ger
man authorities at Brussels by the relief
commission four months ago. but al
though inquiries were made, no reply Of
any kind was received from the Germans
when these objects have been
SdlIISu. So IdI eaS tIiC dIlu pa
triotism of Belgian manufacturers and
workmen will allow permits such OBJ
jects to be gained" continues the men,
orandum. they will doubtless express
readiness to make an arrangement so
that the country, once it is fully
drained of its resources, may be re-
stocked. Before that time has arrived
that German policy should, therefore,
be fully exposed.
The memorandum then gives figures
claiming to such large exports of raw
materials from Belgium to Germany
1t is we'll known the memorandum
states that at least half the products
of Belgian textile mills have been
requisitioned.
The memorandum then accuses the
Germans of a deliberate plan not to
enter into any agreement Of the pro-
posed kind until they have taken the
last ounce of native stocks Of raw ma
terials or manufactured goods which
can be of any use to them and until
they have been able to create such
widespread restitution as to force a
requisite amount of Belgian labor to
emigrate to Germany or take employ
ment in Belgian works controlled by
them for their own purposes.