New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
Northern European Nations
Asked to Outline Con-
ditions There
Norway Offers Ships
DR.. hansen Says Scandinavian
Country Will Carry Sup =
plies to the Allies

Northern European neutral countries
has been asked of the neutrals by the
United States in notes handed to their
diplomatic representatives here.
The American governments plans for
rationing the neutrals through its con-
troll of exports will be finally deter
mined on after replies are received.
The information sought concerns the
exact food needs Of those countries,
their food production capacity, and de-
tails Of their export and import trade
of the last few years.
The intention of the United States is
to hold food exports to the neutrals
to their barest necessities, to prevent
American foodstuffs or food they re-
place from reaching Germany. Only
actual food deficiencies will be made up
from America. and assurances will be
demanded that no American-produced
food is reexported or used to supplant
food that is exported.
Quick responses to the notes are
looked for, since at present no ship
ments to the neutrals are permitted to
leave American ports, and some OF the
countries are badly in need of grains.
Nansen Pleads for Norway
Norway's case was put before this
government to-day by Dr.Fridtjof Nam
sen, head of the Norwegian mission
who declared his country, facing star
walton, was ready to release million
tons of shipping in return for the prlvl-
lege of importing. Norway, DR.. Nansen
said, needs sugar, fats and grain, and
will guarantee that none of these things
are sent into Germany.
The Dutch government, too, is willing
to exchange ships for food, but does
not want Dutch ships sent into the
submarine zone.
The object of the special mission
from Norway, headed by DR.. Nam
sen, is to arrive at an understanding
which will assure to Norway the ele-
ments that are necessary to the sus-
tenance of her people and for the main
tenance of their industries.
Norway is exporting to Germany,
under an agreement with England, large
quantities of fish, but very little else,
DR.. hansen declared to-day. She will
starve unless she obtains fats, grain
and sugar from the United States. For
her industries, coal and iron are her
paramount needs. None of these com
modities are exported from Norway to
Germany, either directly or indirectly,
be said. If America desires a formal
guarantee Norway is willing to give 1t.
DR.. hansen limited that his country
looks with favor on an arrangement
whereby Norwegian shipping would be
available for Allied uses, should such
an arrangement be deemed advisable,
In exchange for the privilege of i'm
porting necessary commodities from
America. The fact is, he stated, Nor
way has an enormous amount of ton
mage in excess of her own needs, and
this has been principally in the use OF
the Allies since the commencement of
the war.
Ships Not British Owned
It was stoutly denied by DR.. hansen
that a single ton of Norwegian ship
ping is British-owned. Norwegians are
very jealous, he said, Of their owner
ship of their ships. 1t had been de-
clared by Count Won Bernstortf while
he was Ambassador to the United States
from Germany that fully 70 per cent
of Norway's ships were British-owned,
and he cited this alleged fact as one OF
the chief reasons for submarine at
tacks upon Norwegian vessels. DR..
hansen stated that at the commence
ment of the war Norway's merchant
marine amounted to 100000 tons and
- Gel riett i'm
10 Germany's submarine operations
Most of the ships so lost, he said, were
serving the Allies when attacked.
DR.. hansen expects to end his mis-
sion to this country and return TO Nor
wav when the objects Of his visit shall
have been realized. He has not yet De-
gun formal negotiations, but at a con-
ference at the State Department to-
dav plans were outlined for a series
of conferences, which will include sew
eral of this governments war organi-
cations. such as the Exports Council
and the Shipping Board.
DR.. Nansen, in response TO series
of questions, said, in part:
First of all | see in the American
newspapers that the United States
must have guarantees that products
from The United States must not be
re-exported. II never has been the
case in Norway that imports from this
country have been re-exported, either
directly or indirectly. Norway has
not exported foodstuffs at all in recent
years. She has not had them TO spare.
Food Items Most Needed
"Grain, sugar and fats are the three
heavy items of Norway's food imports.
1t is quite true the imports of food
stuffs from the United States have in
creased very much during the war, but
il is also true that before the war we
get them from other countries which
are now shut off from trading with US,
and at present we have no other coun-
try to go to for them except the
United States. Formerly we got grain,
for instance, from Russia and from
Australia, but we get none from
Russia now and very little from Aus
tralia.
"The fact that our imports from the
United States have increased during
the war does not mean that our total
imports have increased. Expectation OF
fats, grain and sugar is wholly pro-
hibited; no licenses are issued for
them. What we want first of all is
foodstuffs, because Norway does not
produce enough to live on. Our chief
needs are carbohydrates, which are
found in wheat and sugar and fats.
If they are cut off, it will mean star
walton.
"All Of our shipping has been to the
benefit Of the Allies. No Norwegian
tonnage, not one ship, is now tied up in
port except what is held up in British
ports. All our ships are going almost
entirely, can say, between the Allies
and the United States, except what &c
necessary for our own needs.
"My hope is TO come TO some agree
II IT-..ol h..