New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-25
Food Commission Releases
Thirty Cargoes for Hol-
land Under Condition
Sweden Sells Wheat
Turns Over Part Of Purchases
for Relief in Order to Get
the Rye She Needs

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.-Belgians
will get food quickly and neutrals will
have some OF their wants supplied.
through an arrangement entered into
to-day by the Food Commission and the
governments OF the neutral European
countries.
II was decided 10 let thirty or more
Dutch ships sail at once from an At
lantic port carrying grain owned by the
Netherlands government or condition
that the greater part Of the cargoes
shall be used for relief Of the Belgians
II was also announced that the Swed-
ish mission has sold at cost $4,000
bushels of wheat in this country 10 the
Belgian relief. The wheat was bought
by the Swedish government last Janu
airy, and has been held in elevators ever
since. This will 60 forward immediate
~ in ships TO be secured by the Belgian
Relief Commission. and will take the
cargo space of several large freighteTs.
In return, the Swedish government
will be allowed TO ship 100000 bushels
Of rye of the new American crop, which
will be available in September or Oc-
tober. Negotiations between United
States officials and representatives Of
the neutrsls have been IN progress for
several weeks. Proposal was followed
by counter proposal. until at one time
il looked as if a working agreement was
an impossbility.
Have Complete Statistics
The needs of all the European neu-
trails have been laid before the Food
Commission and complete statistics fur
nished regarding supply, consumption,
exports, imports, manufacture and per
capita requirements.
Norway's case has been presented by
the mission headed by DR.. hansen, and
complete accord has been reached, it
is understood, regarding commodities
to 90 forward 70 that country i'm
mediately.
Norway needs foodstufs and has
ships TO barter She is willing to de-
vote 100000 tons 70 the service of
the United States if she can get food
in return II is understood that this
offer in part has been accepted.
Would Barter Ships
Ono Of the nronosi+ions made by
Holland was to turn over to the use
Of the trade of the Entente Allies
large share of her merchant feet on
condition that the ships were not 70
be sent into the danger zone. Norway
would let her ships 90 without any such
proviso. Holland maintained that it
would be almost commercial suicide 70
risk her ships. as il might cut off
her immense colonial trade.
Chevalier van Rappard, the Meth
erlands Minister, presented the claims
and needs Of his country and negoti-
ated until the proposition finally given
him by Mr. Hoover was Of such a
nature that he advised the Netherlands
government to accept IL.
The agreement is understood 70
provide that one-third of the grain is
for Hollands own use and the re-
mainder for the Belgians.
II is understood also that the use Of
the ships will be given this country
both By Norway and Holland for such
trade as does not conflict with United
States laws, thus releasing much
American and Allied tonnage for the
carrying Of munitions and troops.
Congress probably will be asked TO
make il legal for ships under a foreign
flag but with American charter TO en-
gage in the coastwise trade.
The general understanding is that a
certain amount Of the old crop Of
wheat, with some fats, will be allowed
10 Switzerland and Denmark as well as
TO Norway, Sweden and Holland.
In every case a promise is obtained
from the neutrals that no material
furnished them under this agreement
is 20 be reexported TO countries with
whom the Allies are at war.