The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-15
AMERICA GETS
 NEUTRAL SHIPS
 FOR WAR WORK
Final Stage Preached in Negotiations For Over 100000 Tons.


 Washington Nov. 1.-The United States is about to add several hum dred thousand tons of shipping to the stream of ships carrying American troops and supplies to the aid of the Allies. Negotiations with the north ern European neutral nations and with Japan for tonnage have reached either will go directly into transat- lantic routes or will release Ameri- can ships for this service.
 The European neutrals, 1t was learned last night, finally had agreed to turn over to the United States and the Allies ships in exchange for food stuffs that only America can supply. The quantities of food to be furnish ed will be determined later, but the neutrals have the assurance of the American government that they will receive enough to meet their neces- sary requirements.
 Japan will sell outright to the United States a large amount of ton. mage now in the Pacific in exchange for steel ship plates, the Japanese are anxious to obtain to complete their merchant shipbuilding program. Only the matter of price the Japanese are to receive for their tonnage remains to be agreed on, and that, 1t was said tonight. would be worked out imme- diately. @ , Negotiations with the Swedish mission were wound up several days ago and all the missions members except pr. Fridtjoff Nansen, the chairman, have left Washington to nail f0N yI,n 1e mage the United States Is obtaining has not been known, but there are tn American ports now more than. 400,. 600 tons of neutral ships, which will be put into some American service Many of the ships will ply between American ports. and South America. each releasing an American or British vessel for service through the wal zone.
 In it's negotiations. the United States, dealt in different manner with each Norway. Sweden, Hol- land and Denmark. A large part of | the Norwegian merchant marine, most Of which is owned in Great Brit ain, already is in the allied service. The Dutch insisted that none of their vessels be put into service that would take them through the war zone. Most of the Dutch ships to be turned over probably will transport to the United States wheat from Argentina and Australia and sugar from Java. The entire Dutch fleet. 1t is under stood. eventually will be used in trans. porting supplies to America and in carrying cargoes from America to Holland. The Dutch estimate that al least one-third Of the fleet will be
 required to move foodstuffs and other 1 American materials to Holland when the United States begins to let food | stuns go. Some food probably will be relased within the next month. With the question of tonnage out of the way, and the American prom ise of sufficient foodstufrs for the neutrals dfbtaineds there remain twa important points to be cleared up. One of these is just how much food the neutrals will require. and the other Is how far the neutrals may go in shipping supplies into Germany The first will be settled on the basis Of statistics supplied to the United States by the neutral governments through the commissions they have sent hero The second presents a more difflcalt problem.
 Norway and Sweden, it Is said, are ready to stop the shipment to Ger many of all 6oodstufrs supplantead by supplies from the United States, but Holland so far has declined to give assurances as to dairy supplies. Sweden, 1t is said. will be asked also to discontinue the export of iron ore and certain other materials to Ger many, and this government, it is stat. ed, is determined that no American cattle feeds shall be used by Holland so long as nairy shipments continue to find their way to the Central Pow. CTS.
 Wheat brought to the United States from Argentina and Australia will be milled in this country for re-export. The Food Administration has decided to export no more wheat from the country, but will send out only flour. This will save cargo space, furnish foodstuffs for American cattle, and guarantee a supply of flour to keep American mills running on full time.
 No time has been set for turning over the neutral tonnage, but the ships held here now probably will be allowed to receive bunker coal as fast as they can obtain it. Many will make transatlantic voyages, carrying in part Belgian relief cargoes.
 Arrangements for turning over the 40, ,000 tons of Swedish ships in Amer ican ports were completed some days ago.