The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-08-28
AMERICA RELEASES
GRAIN TO NEUTRALS.
THIRTY DUTCH SHIPS TO
SAIL WITH WHEAT.
Norway VIII Devote 100000
Tons of Shipping in Return
For FOOdstuirS.

VIII get tOOd quickly and neutralS
will have some of their wants sup
piled, through an arrangement en-
tered into today by the food com
mission and the governments of the
neutral European countries.
1t was decided to let thirty or
more Dutch ships sail at once from
an Atlantic port carrying grain own
ed by The Netherlands government,
on condition that the greater part of
| the cargoes shall be used for relief
of the Belgians.
1t was also announced that the
Swedish mission had sold at cost
$4,000 bushels OF. wheat in this
country to the Belgian relief. The
wheat was bought by the Swedish
government last January and has
been held in elevators ever since.
! This will go forward immediately in
ships to be secured by the Belgian
relief commission and will take the
cargo space of several large freight
ers.
Return Favor.
| In return the Swedish govern
ment will be allowed to ship 27O.OOO
bushels of rye of the new American
crop, which will be available in Sep
1tember or October.
Negotiations between United
States officials - and representatives
| Of hn
gress for several weeks
Norway's case has been presented
by the mission headed by DR.. Nan
sen and complete accord has been
reached, it is understood
Norway needs foodstuffs. She is
willing to devote 100000 tons to
the service Of the United States if
she can get food in return. 1t is un-
derstood that this offer, in part, has
been accepted.
One of the propositions made by
Holland was to turn over for the use
of the trade of the Entente Allies a
large share of her merchant fleet on
condition that the ships were not to
| be sent into the danger zone. Nor
way would let her ships go without
any such proviso. Holland main
tained il would be almost commercial
suicide to risk her ships, as it might
cnt OFF her immense colonial trade.
Chevalier Van Rappard, The Meth
er!ands minister, presented the
claims and needs of his country and
negotiated until the proposition fin
ally given him by Mr.. Hoover was of
such nature that he advised The
Netherlands government to accept it.
There has been delay until there was
danger that the wheat in the Dutch
ships would rot. The agreement is
understood to provide that one
third OF the grain is for Hollands
own use and the remainder for the
Belgians.
1t is understood also that the use
of ships will be given this country
by both Norway and Holland for
such trade as does not conflict with
( United States laws. thus releasing
much American ard Allied tonnage
for the carrying of munitions and
troops Congress probably will be
asked to make it legal for ships un-
der foreign flag, but with Amerr-
can chatter. to engage in the coast
, wise, trade.
y What arrangement is to' be made
to meet the needs of Switzerland and
Denmark could not be learned to-
day but the general understanding
/ is that certain amount of the old
crop OF wheat with some fats. will
be allowed to these countries. as we'll
as to Norway, Sweden and Holland.
In every case promise is obtain
ed from the neutrals that no ma
terial furnished them under this
agreement is to be re-exported to
countries with whom the Allies are
at war. The neutrals have con-
tended that nothing was exported
'in kind" but one of the main diff
fculties in reaching an agreement
has been the knowledge that cattle
fed with American grain were sold
, either on the hoof or as meat to
Germany and that cheese and butter
from COWS fed on forage from
America went to the Central Pow
ers.