Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-26
COMMERCE DEPARTMENT
TO ADMINISTER DETAILS
Means That This Government
Virtually Will Take Up Bur
den of British Blockade.
POLICY DEFINED BY WILSON
Law VIII Be Put Into Active Opera.
ton by Series OF Executive
ProcIamations.


American exports. authorized in a
clause OF espionage bill. was ASSUME cd
to-day by President Wilson with the
appointment OF an Export Council,
comprising the Secretaries OF State. Ap-
riculture and Commerce, and the food
administrator. An executive order Gre
atinE the council directs the Depart
ment OF Commerce to administer all
details OF operation.
victorious conclusion OF the war
can come. said the President in a state
ment tonight outlining the country's 8
export policy. only by systematic di-
rection Of American trade
The free play OF trade VIII not he
arbitrarily interfcred with" he SAID:
1t VIII only be inteliiSently and sys-
tematically directed in the light OF full
information with regard to the needs
and market conditions throughout the
world. and the necessities Of our people
at home and our armies and the armies
OF our associates abroad"
Members OF the Export Council will
meet tomorrow to organize and to
recommend to the President a series
of proclamations which will put the
law into active operation.
The first proclamation will require
the licensing OF all coal and fuel ship
ments. including bunkers. and it's pur-
pose Is to give the government nrst
tirm grasp on shipping.
SYSTEM OF LICENSING
FOR EVERY CLASS OF EXPORTS
The second will provide a system OF
licensing for every class OF exports
tP the European neutral countries. nd
Is designed to prevent supplies from
reaching Germany.
Proclamations TO follow will name
specific commodities which may not be
shipped anywhere. without licenses.
The first commodities TO be DESIGNATED
Will be cereals and other foodstuns.
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 proba bly,
VIII be Issued this week. Under an
agreement to be made with the Brit
ish government providing for an inter
national shipping control enforced by
bunkering 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.
The neutral export proclamation will
be hurried to prevent removal from
the United States OF large supplies OF
foodstuffs bought by the neutrals. and
now stored in this country awaiting
shipment The government is deter
mined to hold neutrals TO necessities.
and. in enforcing export regulations,
virtually will take up the burden of
the British blockade, now to be en-
forced from the point OF origin of
supplies.
AMERICAN AGENTS TO KEEP
CLOSE CHECK on RE-EXPORTs
American agents to be sent into the
neutral countries will keep the closest
check on re-eXports. 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
export control will absorb the Brit
ish system OF letters of assurance here
before their cargoes are permitted to
go to the European neutrals.
Every move under the act will be
made under presidential proclamation
issued under the advice of the Export
Council. which will meet every day 10
discuss subjects of policy. The three
Cabinet members and the food admin
istrator PROBABLY will name represen-
tatives to take care of most of the rou
tine work. These men probably will
be DR.. l.. h. Pratt. of the Department
of Commerce.; Lester II. woolsey of
the State Department: Assistant Secre
tary Vrooman, Of the Department OF
Agriculture. and the representative of
tho food administration.
Licensing will be done by the Com
merce Departments Bureau of Foreign
and Domestic Commerce, Of which DR..
Pratt is head The bureau will be ex
panded by the addition Of about 800
employees To cover the cost of oper-
alton. Secretary Redhold will ask for
s150.o00 from the Presidents emer-
gency fund. and later will ask Of Con-
gress $75o.oo0 to carry the bureau
through the year.
TO PREVENT UNLICENSED
CARGOEs FROM LEAVING
Collectors Of customs. who are un-
der the Treasury Department. will be
charged with preventing unlicensed
cargoes from leaving the country.
A policy regarding food exports will
be formulated by the food administra-
ton. to be approved by the Exports
Council. After the Department OF. Ag-
riculture's food supply has been made
a program OF food apportionment
CONTINUED on Second Page.)