The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-06-28
EXPORT CONTROL ORDERED;
BOARD IN CHARGE NAMED
Victorious Conclusion Of War Car
Be Effected by Judicious Plac
ing of Shipments, Wilson
N SayA

SayA
Washington, June 25.-Control OF
American exports, authorized in
clause of the espionage bill, was as
sumed today by President Wilson
with the appointment of an exports
council comprising the secretaries OF
state, agriculture and commerce, and
the food administrator An execu-
tive order creating the council directs
the department of commerce to- ad-
minister all details OF operation.
A victorious conclusion of the war
can come, said the president in a
statement tonight, outlining the cour-
try's export policy, only by syste-
matte direction of American trade.
"The free play Of trade will not
be arbitrarily interfered with" he
said. 1T will only be intelligently
and systematically directed in the
light of full information with regard
to the needs and market conditions
throughout the world and the neces-
sites OF our people at home and our
armies and the, armies of Our asso-
ciates abroad"
Members of the exports council
will meet tomorrow to organize and
to recommend to the president a-ser-
les of proclamations which will put
the law into active operation.
The first proclamation will require
the licensing of all coal and fuel
shipments, including bunkers, and its
purpose is to give the government
first a firm grasp on shipping.
The second will provide system of
licensing for every class of exports
to the European neutral countries and
is designated to prevent supplies
from reaching Germany
Proclamations to follow will name
specific commodities which may not
be shipped anywhere without r.
censes. The first commodities to be
designated will be cereals and other
foodstuffs. By degrees the list will
be extended until virtually every ex-
port commodity is brought under op-
Grafton of the act.
The proclamations covering coal
and exports to European neutrals
probably will be issued this week.
Under an arrangement to be made
with the British government provid-
ing for international shipping control
enforced by bunkering and export IL
censing agreements the United
States and Great Britain will have
the trade of the world at their hands
to direct in the manner best calculat-
ed to assist in winning the war.
The neutral export proclamation
will be hurried to prevent removal
from the United States of large sup
plies of foodstufis bought by the neu-
trails and now stored in this country
awaiting shipment. The government
is determined to hold neutrals to me-
cessities and in enforcing export reg
ulations virtually will take the bur-
den Of the British blockade, now to
be enforced from the points of origin
of supplies.
American agents to be sent to nett
trail countries will keep the closest
check on re-exports and will be
charged with responsibility for see
ing that American supplies stop be-
fore reaching the German border.
To large extent they will use Brit
ish machinery built mp during the
three years the blockade has been in
operation.
Every move under the act will be
made with presidential proclamation
issued on the advice of the exports
council, which will meet every day
to discuss subjects of policy The
three cabinet members and the food
administrator probably will name rep
resentatives to take care of most OF
the routine work. These men prob
ably will be DR.. E. E. Pratt, of the
department of commerce, Lester H.
Woolsey Of the state department, As
sistant Secretary Vrooman of the de-
partment of agriculture and repre-
sentative of the food administration.
Licensing will be done by the COM
merce departments bureau of foreign
and domestic commerce, of which DR..
Pratt is the head. To cover the cost
of operation Secretary Redfield will
ask for $4,000 from the presidents
emergency fund and later will ask
of congress $4,000 to carry the bu-
reau through the year.