New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Halt Belgian Relief Ships
Pending Berlin Concession
Hoover Seeks Safety for Vessels Carrying Food to len
Million SufererS-Commssioncr and Whitlock Plan
to Continue Work Despite Break

, the relief line. As the vessel was
sunk before February /, before the
German submarine war zone order,
Mr.. Hoover believes IT struck nine.
A statement setting forth the present
status Of conditions, issued to-day at
the commissions temporary headquar-
tiers here, said: =.
"The whole Of the transportation OF
the commission has been suspended
and all ships in American, Argentine
Indian and European ports ordered 70
remain until further notice.
Warned by Germany
"The commission has received at its
Brussels and Rotterdam offices direc-
tions from the German government
that they will no longer respect the
commissions flag unless the shlps take
the course to Dutch ports entirely 70
the north of the newly established Ger
man war zone. and that all relief shlps
shall leave the war zone b. the nearest
route.
"Mr. Hoover states. that there are
some fifteen steamers afoat either IN
or approaching the war zone when the
commission is powerless to reach IN
any event. Mr.. Hoover further states
that no is advised BY their various
European Offices that the combined
british and German mine fields etfeetu-
allv shut out any approaches TO Dutch
norts nv the route north OF the war
zone. a.
"And even were the ships afioat 10
be ordered north they would stahd
every chance of destruction nom
mines. Therefore we must simply
.,apJ IL, durr n anxiety,
"As to ships yet in port, it rs DOUBT,
full whether any owner or insurer WOu'u
take the northern route, even ana the
British government agree to waive inc
right of search at Kirkwall. Further
more il is a practical necessity Tor an
transatlantic shipping to coal az
United Kingdom ports. The conse-
ouence of this is that all departures
for relief shipping have been srS'
pended.
Seeks Extension of Safety Route
at appears from the European DIS
patches that the German government
has offered to respect Dutch shlps on
the route across the North sea from
Flushing TO the Thames, and IT has also
offered to the American government TO
respect neutral ships on the route from
hIldIllC
not appear a very great stretch OF TINS
route to add the short link along the
English littoral from Falmouth to the
Thames to this route. and thus open
food channel not only to the Belgian
relief but to the Dutch people as well.
"The situation into which ten mill
ions of helpless people in Belgium ana
Northern France are thus thrown IS
being represented to the German gov
eminent tomorrow through the Span
ish and other neutrals interested IN the
maintenance of the relief. The sltua-
ton OF the Dutch people is, owing TO
this conflict of the German war zone
with the northern mine fields, IN TACT
practically identical with the situation
Of the relief.
THE mind of every member of the
relief commission and of all thinking
people must be filled with the most eX-
IRENE anxiety as to the fate Of these
ten millions of people, and no stone
will be left unturned TO reestablish
the transport and continue the work.
No matter what contingency arises be-
tween this country and Germany, Amer
leans must not desert the cause which
has been so peculiarly our own. and we
must give our every support to some
other neutral body if we should be
forced to retire from administration of
the relief.
"Mr. Hoover stated that he did not
assume that under any contingency the
members of the commission were in
any danger Of being informed by the
German authorities and that he had
tclegraphed specifications for every
man to remain at his post until re-
quested TO leave"