Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-06
Prohibits Sale of Shipsto Foreigners
PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY PRES
 DENT WILSON
TO MEET EMERGENCY
Finds There is an Insuffieiency of Maritime Tonnage to Carry Products of the United States to Consumers Abroad and at Home.

Washington, Feb. 5.-President Will
 son today issued a proclamation under l the authority of the recent shipping
 act prohibiting American ship owners other registry.
 | This proclamation, it was stated, was
 not prompted by the international sit l uation, but was suggested formally by | the federal shipping board upon it's organization last week Officials said | it would have been issued earlier but for the fear it might be confused with measures taken in connection with the ], break with Germany.
 Applies to Ships Under Registry. The order applies to ships already under registry and not to those build ing Besides a large amount of Amer Ican tonnage that has gone to foreign ownership recently, much of that un- der construction in American yards is being built for Scandinavian and other foreign capital. Statistics concerning this tonnage is misleading, it is de- clared, as many contracts that show American ownership have changed hands. some several times. going from American ship SpeculatorS finally to foreign buyers.
 The proclamation follows:
 The Proclamation.
 Whereas, congress did pass an act to establish a United States shipping board for the purpose of encouraging developing and controlling a naval auxiliary and naval reserve and a
 merchant marine to meet the require
 ments of the commerce of the United States with it's territories and posses Sions and with foreign countries; to
 regulate carriers by water engaged in the foreign and interstate commerce
 of the United States; and for other
 purposes approved Sept. ', 1916, pro-
 vide that during any national emer- gency the existence of which is de-
 r-xa1 Ixv o1@v, AL
 dent, no vessel. registered or enrolled and licensed under the laws of the
 United States, shall without the ap-
 proval of the board, be sold, leased, zen of the United States. or trans ferred. to a foreign registry or flag
 And, whereas, many ship owners of the United States are permitting their ships to pass to alien regkt ters and to foreign trade in which we do not par ticipate, and from which they cannot be bought back to serve the needs of our water-borne commerce without the permission of governments of foreign nations,
 insuffieieney of Maritime Tonnage.
 'eNow, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson president of the, United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority conferred in me by said act of congress, do hereby declare and proclaim that I have found that there exists a national emergency aris- ing from the insuff1ciency of maritime tonnage to carry the products of the farms, forests, mines and manufactur- ing industries of the United States to their consumers abroad and within the United States, and do hereby admon- iSh all citizens of the United States and every person to abstain from every violation of the provisions of said act Of congress, and I do hereby warn them that all violations of such pro- visions will be vigorously prosecuted, and do hereby enjoin upon all off, cers of the United States, charged with the execution of the laws thereof, the utmost diligence in preventing viola tion of said act, and this, my procla- nation, issued hereunder, and in bringing to trial and punishment any offenders against the same"