New-York tribune., 1917-11-09
Great Clearing House to
Provide for All Needs
Is Predicted
Neutral Ships to Help
Vessels of Holland, Sweden
and Norway To Be Appor-
toned as Needed
ls.nr Cn-nsnonte


WASHINGTON, Nov. S.-The TACT
that the Shipping Board is represented
az the inter-Allied conference by Com
missioner cambridge Colby is thought
10 foreshadow q radically new depart
ure in directing the shipping at the
disposal Of the Allies. The soft pedal
is put or the subject by members OF
the board. but il is admitted that II IS
hoped that one outcome Of the confer
ence will be that there will be some
sort of an inter-Allied transport clear
ing house. so that Great Britain and
the United States will know the sum
total Of the requirements Of the other
allies and will be able 70 govern them
selves accordingly.
As il is at present there are several
nations and several departments Of
those nations simultaneously clemoring
for transport service. There is no way
Of determining which nation should
have the preference or which depart
mert within the nation. When France,
Italy and Russia ell ask for ships, the
best solicitor is apt TO get them, and
perhaps that ones needs are not so
pressing. Then, again. when the
French food administration calls for
vessels for Transporting food and the
French army at the same time insists
on vessels for munitions, there is no
way for the Shipping Board TO know
which ought to have the preference.
Decision Important Now
Some sort of ordering Of this matter
is especially important now that we
are on the verge Of an arrangement by
mich practically the entire neutral
tonnage Of the world Is TO be directed
by the United States and England. The
various negotiations that have been
held with Holland. Sweden, Norway and
other neutral nations represent de-
parture of far greater moment than
has been realized
The grip Of England and America on
the neutral shipping is such that II
has practically come 10 this-that those
nations must put their ships at the dis
posal of the Allies or 20 out Of sea
been idle already as long as they care
10, and within short time their ships
that have been tied up in home and
foreign ports will put TO sea to 90 the
bidding of the Allies under charter.
Will Fill Tremendous Gap
A part of this neutral shipping will
be directed BY British and a part by
the United States. Through this CEN
tralizied control Of az least two or
three million tons that have heretofore
been only sporadically available for
transport purposes tremendous stride
will be made toward filing up the gap
in shipping pending the completion Of
new tonnage.
It must be understood that it is not
only the neutral shipping now in
British and American ports that is
affected by this deal, but practically
all the ocean-going tonnage OF the only
neutrals that amount 70 much in ship
ping statistics, viz, Spain, Holland,
Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
The settlement of the shipping cues
tion in this way involves, Of course,
some agreement with the neutrals as
10 what and how much food and other
supplies they will get from the United
States, and, for that matter, from any
where. because the masters OF the seas
are also masters of even the food
sources that the not within their
boundaries.
The Shipping Board has another
member of the international conference
mission party in the person Of Charles
Day, OF the Philadelphia engineering
firm Of Day e. Zimmerman, who was
sent 20 study and report on the British
standard fabricated ships, with a view
20 benefting the work Of building
standard ships IN this country by the
fabrication process.