The midland journal., 1917-07-06
President Wilson Appoints En-
barge Council.
CHECK ON COAL AND FUEL
Every Glass OF Foreign Shipments
Will Be Watched SO AS To Pre-
vent Goods From Reach
ing Germany.

exports, authorized in clause of the
Espionage bill, was assumed by Presl-
dent Wilson with the appointment Of
an exports council comprising the Sec
retaries of State, Agriculture and Com
merce, and the food administrator. An
executive order creating the council
directs the Department of Commerce
to administer all details of operation
A victorious conclusion of the war
can come, said the President, in
statement outlining the country's ex-
port policy, only by systematic direc-
ton of American trade.
THE free play of trade will not be
arbitrarily interfered with" he con-
tinued. 'It will only be intelligently
and Systematically directed in the light
of full information with regard to the
needs and market conditions through
out the world and the necessities of
our people at home, and our armies
and the armies of our associates
abroad"
To License Shipments.
The first proclamation will require
the licensing of all coal and fuel ship
ments, including bunkers, and its pur-
pose is to give the Government first
firm grasp on shipping.
The second will provide system of
licensing for every class of exports to
the European neutral countries, and is
designed to prevent supplies from
reaching Germany.
Proclamations to follow will name
shipped anywhere without licenses.
The first commodities to be designated
will be cereals and other foodstuffs.
BY degrees the list will be extended
until virtually every export commodity
is brought under operation of the act.
The proclamations covering coal
and exports to European neutrals prob
ably will be issued this week. Under
an arrangement to be made with the
British Government providing for an
international shipping control enforced
by bunkering and export licensing
agreements, the United States and
Great Britain will have the trade of
the world in their hands to direct in
the manner best calculated to assist
in winning the war.
Will Hold NeutraIs To Needs.
The neutral export proclamation will
be hurried to prevent removal from
the United States of large supplies of
foodstuffs bought by neutrals and now
stored in this country awaiting ship
ment. The Government is determined
to hold neutrals to necessities, and in
enforcing export regulations virtually
will take up the burden of the British
blockade, now to be enforced from the
point of origin of supplies.
American agents to be sent into the
neutral countries will keep the closest
check on re-exporters and will be
charged with responsibility for seeing
that American supplies stop before
reaching the German border. To a
large extent they will use British ma
chinery built up during the three years
the blockade has been in operation
The control will absorb the British
system of letter of assurance hereto
fore required of American shippers be-
fore their cargoes are permitted to go
to European neutrals.
Every move under the act will be
made under Presidential proclamation
issued on the advice of the export
council which will meet every day to
discuss subjects of policy. The three
Cabinet members and the food ad-
ministrator probably will name repre-
routine work. These men probably
will be DIR. E. E. Pratt, of the Depart
ment of Commerce; Lester H. Wool
sey, of the State Department; Assist
ant Secretary Vrooman, of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, and a represen-
tative of the food administration.
800 Employees Required.
Licensing will be done by the Com.
merce Departments Bureau of For.
eign and Domestic Commerce, of
which DR.. Pratt is the head The
bureau will be expanded by the addi-
ton of about 800 employees. To cover
the cost of operations Secretary Red
field will ask for $15000O from the
Presidents emergency fund and later
will go to Congress for $75O,O0O to
carry the bureau through the year.
Collectors of customs, who are under
the Treasury Department, will be
charged with preventing unlicensed
cargoes from leaving the country.