Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-21
PLAN OF AIDING BELGIUM
TO FEED HERSELF FAILS
Scheme Was to Rehabilitatc Indus.
tries Of Country Under Control
of American Commission.
GERMANS REFUSE GUARANTEES
Send No Reply to Request for Prom
ise That Raw Materials and Manu-
facturcd Goods VIII Not BE Seized
by Occupying Armies.

| LONDON. February 20.-Thc plan Of
aiding Belgium to feed herself by re-
facilitating the Industries Of the coun-
try under control Of the American
! Commission for Relief in Belgium has
! failed. according to n letter written by
! Sir Edward Grey. the British Foreign
Secretary. to NJ. IIymnns. the Belgian
! minister here. because the Germans
thus far have failed to reply to the
! request for guarantees that raw ma
! terials and manufactured goods will
. not he seized by the occupying armies
The American Relief Commission
(, some time ago proposed that certain
! kinds Of noncontrabaud raw materials
I should he permitted to pass through
the British blockade into Belgium
goods manufactured from them to be
| re-cNportcd. It was proposed that the
/ balance of trade thus created in favor
! of Belgium should he invested in food
thus putting tho population as far as
| possible upon sclf-paying basis and
| ut the samc time checking tho growing
decentralization, due 70 Unemployment
F.! Sir Edwards letter to the minister
! follows:
Dear MiniStcr,--DurinE the last few
/ months you have represented to me
! frequently the condition OF industries
/ III 'iitl part OF l5elSiufn occupied by
| the enemy. and the need for tho inn
port OF raw material ir those indus
tries were to be saved from ruin and
universal unemployment and distress
| prevented.
! ~ now inclosc a memorandum which
| shows the true state OF the case I can
. add that tho question herewith dealt
! is entirely distinct from the importn-
! ton OF foodstu,fs into Belgium by the
! relief commission. as to which the atti-
tude of His Majcstys government re-
| mains as recently stated to Parliament
! that the government. will facilitate
the work of the commission az long
and SO far as the work is carried on
under adequate neutral supervision.
| completely in neutral control and in
! compliance with conditions laid down
| from time to time by Ills Majesty's
! government
tsisncdD "E. GREY"
MEMORtNDUM REFEnnED TO
BY SIR EDWARD GREY
! The memorandum referred TO by Sir
Edward Grey is in part as follows
1T is understood there is Il strong
| feeling among the Belrians that the
industrial distress of RclGium is to he
attributed solely to the action of tho
allied governments in preventing i'm
ports, and il is often contended that
this action does not appreciably harm
Germany. while it involves Il 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
taincd in the present circumstances
without vcr* considerable benefit
to Great Rrita!ns enemies. and with
out involving poStponement of
Belgian independence. But the gov
ernmcnt. il says. is fully impressed
with the necessity of supporting the
HclEian population. For this reason
ii has supported tho Commission for
Relief in Belgium. and permitted cy-
port trade from belgium under certain
conditions. Also for this reason, the
memorandum adds. the government
some months ago asserted its willing
ness TO consider proposals for the i'm
portation Of raw materials INTO Bel
gtum through the agency and under
the guarantees Of the relief commits
sion.
The undertakings demanded from
! the Germans in connection with this
scheme. the memorandum continues
were simple. They we're free to inn
port raw materials and the export OF
manufactured goods made from such
materials through the relief commits
sion. They were TO respect and make
| free from all embargo or rcuuistion
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 mmunitics as one OF
the commissions Warehouses;
NO REPLY OF ANY KIND
HECEiVisD FROM GERMANS
The momcrandum. after eXpla niug thn,
II mad been hoped the plan WOULD havo
| reduced unemployment ana relieved
the population of much OF the distress
winch is inScparabic from Rclgium's $
unfortunate position. says II was sub
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