New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-01

United States and the Dutch East
Indies made regular voyages without
any impedment, direct or indirect, by
the Netherlands government. The ships
now in British ports in and outside
Europe and in the Portuguese port of
ing by the British and Portuguese
themselves.
CAS- shown by the foregoing, the allie
CATION that the Netherlands, owing to
German pressure, was powerleSs to OBJ
serve the provisional agreement is con-
trary to fact.
Negotiations With Great Britain
"After the incorrect allegation that
visional agresfn ent," the statement
continues, Great Britain on March Z
made Holland final proposal, where
upon Holland came forward with a
counter proposal which was unaccept-
able. Even had the arrangement been
concluded Holland would have been I'M
able to keep it in actual practice, for
which reason the seizure was deter
mined upon. This reasoning, strange
tant link which is irdis pensabie to
place the matter in a proper light
What were the facts
con February % the Netherlands, in
view of the food shortage threatened
in the coming summer asked America
to advance 100000 tons Of wheat on
account of 100000 to be definitely ar
ranged for. 1t is true that the assoc
ciatcd governments on March 6 replied
afIirmatively regarding the 100, 600 tons
without giving q definite reply about
the 100000 but to that apparent
acquiescence they attached the mnorous
condition that they were to obtain i'm
mediately the disposal Of all of that
part of the Dutch merchant feet to
which, according to the prof ected Lon
don plan, they would eventually become
entitled
"The Netherlands government; under
the stress of circumstances, prepared
to accept this condition as soon as the
certainty could be had that the fullest
reliance could be placed not only on
the 100000 tons, but also on the full
400 900, as the basis of defintive regu-
lation.
Did Not Want Ships Armed
"Suddenly the aforesaid London agree
ment was broken, on March T. when
the cardinal point, that ships given
in exchange for the advance of 100000
tons of grain-ships with tonnage
amounting to about half million
were not to be used in the danger zone
was revoked. The onerous character Of
this change lay not in the fact that
the Dutch ships were to be sent into
the danger zone-for this has nothing
to do with neutrality because it
was evident that to enter that zone
situated as it is, around the associated
/ countries in Europe, would amount to
large extent TO the transportation of
troops and war materials from Amer
Ill
Moreover, the Dutch ships, if armed
would run the risk Of armed conflict
with German warships. Holland, as q
neutral country, could not, therefore
consent to the use Of its ships in the
danger zone unless the associated gov
crnments could guarantee that the
ships would not be armed and would
not transport troops or war materials
"In the light Of the foregoing the
reasoning of the Presidential state
ment, in accordance with which the
seizure was held to be necessary, be-
cause Holland would be unable to OBJ
serve the contract, cannot be sustained
according to the Presidential state
ment, this procedure offers Holland
ample opportunity to obtain bread
grain. This is so only apparently, for
would 1t not be an irresponsible act
after the experiences Of Dutch ships in
American and British ports. to permit
other ships to sail to these ports with
out adequate guarantees that these cx-
pcriences shall not recur?
"Thc American government has nj.
ways appealed to right and justice, has
always come forward as the champion
Of small nations. That it now coop
crates in an act diamctrically opposed
10 those principles is a proceeding
~ I'm 70 ;.vb4 l.
manifestations Of friendship or assur-
ances. Of lcnicnt application Of the
wrong committed"