New-York tribune., 1917-07-28
Export Council Will End
Reshipment of Goods
to Germany
Coal Shortage Severe
May Compel Scandinavian
Countries to Yield to
America

Washington, July 2I.-A plan lor
rationing the northern European coun-
tries was put before President Wilson
to-day by the Exports Council.
The American government has no IN
tention of attempting to stop all neu-
tral trade with Germany, but will put
an end TO reshipment of American
goods into enemy territory.
Gradually the export control VIII
take the place of the British system OF
letters of assurance. Now, however,
this government lacks information con-
cerning consignees in neutral coun-
tries. Great Britain, by declining as
surances for cargoes to assignees under
suspicion. is able to keep many SNIP
ments which might be granted export
licenses from reaching the enemy.
European neutrals are not suffering
hardship through the Withholding or
export licenses for food shipments By
the Exports Council pending tho
formulation of definite export policy,
it was stated by competent authority
to-day. The neutral countries have
entirely adequate food stocks to carry
them over until the next harvest, 1t
was said.
Cotton Supplies Ample
As regards cotton and other articles
which also are denied them under the
application of the exports control
legislation, the neutrals Of Europe are
not suffering such pressure as to make
them either stop their commerce with
Germany or TO make proposals to the
United States or to the Allies.
The present policy Of the neutral
governments was said to be TO realize
the utmost possible from their trading
opportunities with both the Central
Powers and the Allies, and at the same
time to devise means to decide upon
courses of action to be adopted when
ever the shortage, due TO the closure of
American markets against them, 10
sufficiently felt to arouse the people to
demand new measures.
Hope for Notifications
IL is the hope of some of the neu.
trails that developments in the United
States will compel the government to
modify the inconyeniences imposed
upon them as war policy, this hope
being based upon their misinformation
concerning the views held by the
American people. In some neutral
quarters the view has been held that
the business interests of the United
States would succeed in rendering
virtually useless the government at
tempt to regulate expectations to neu-
trails in Europe to correspond with the
neutrals' absolute needs.
The most careful work has been
done by this government in compiling
figures to reveal neutral needs. One
result has bean 20 determine that dur
ing 1915 the. entrals imported from
America considerably more cotton than
they needed. Four Northern neutrals,
for example, secured go per cent more
cotton during 1916 than normally, and
if they nave disposed OF it, as ii is
believed they have done, their Gus
toner was Germany.
Wheat and fodder are the two neces-
saries of which the neutrals have re-
stricted quantities, but the supply was
said authoritatively to-day to be suf-
fcient to carry them over until har-
vest.
Shortage of Coal
There is in neutral Northern Europe,
however, an actual shortage Of coal,
which is being more or less keenly felt.
Denmark and Norway are getting from
England a quantity sufficient for their
needs. In Sweden and Holland the
coal supply is running very short, the
cause being the reduction Of coal ex-
portation by Germany. Sweden has
received so far this year only one-fifth
Of the amount of coal from Germany
that she received from the same source
in 1916.
Sweden's principal justification for
the expectation of iron and some other
Of her products to Germany has been
that she received coal in exchange.
The same argument has been made use
of by Holland. 10 is known that both
Holland and Sweden have been tre-
mendously inconvenienced by the re-
duction of their coal importations
from Germany, the cause of the di-
minishing supply being the increased
difficulty of operating the Belgian
/ mines by Germany.