The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-13
!. EXPLANATIONS, N
SHIPS SEIZURES,
LANSlNG'S REPLY
American Note Demonstrates
That Germany's Threats
Were Cause
LEGALITY UNQUESTlONED
Instead of Injustice, American
Control is Really Help to
Dutch


erica's reply to the recent statement
OF the Netherlands, government bitter
ly protesting against and denounclns
the action Of the United States in TAX
ing over Dutch ships in, its ports, wa.
made public tonight in the form OF 4
memorandum by Secretary Lansing
a copy of which has been sent to the
Netherlands legation. Pointing oul
that the Netherlands government 1t
self does not question the legality OF
the act Mr.. Lansing devOtes himself
10 demonstration that it was an act
OF necessity resulting from Germany:
menaciug attitude which prevented
Holland from fulfilling her engage
ments, and that instead OF an iEJus
tice the step results in real benefit
to the Dutch ship owners and people
FL" The Note
The Netherlands government have
issued a statement relative to the rec
ent action OF the government of the
United States in putting into its ser
vice for the period of the present wal
emergency certain privately owned
vessels of Netherlands registry LYING
within the territorial Jurisdiction OF
the United States. While this action
Is referred to as being indefensfble
from the standpoint OF international
law, the statement Of the Neither
lands government does not argue the
question of legality Nor is this gov
eminent disposed to do so.
1.-The practice Of nations and the
opinions Of purists on the right of a
belligerent to utilize all vessels which
come voluntarily and Internationally
within It's, jurisdiction are sufficiently
we'll known to render citation of pre-
cedent and of authority unnecessary
But, as the Netherlands government
themselves suggest, our action mus.
be subjected to finer test than that
Of mere legality 1t matters very little
that our acts be legal. if as alleged, il
violates traditional friendship and is
inconsistent with ideals Of right and
Justice.
American, Supplies Low
The, Netherlands government first
declares that the very presence OF
Dutch ships in our ports resulted from
our detention OF them with an un
friendly hand. While our right to re,
fuse bunkers and cargo licenses is
conceded, friendship, 1t is said should
have led to the granting of special
privileges in favor of the subjects OF
friendly state. Our own supply. Of
bunker coal at seabOard has been in.
adequate for our pressing national
needs. The cargoes which were de
manded were largely OF grain, of
which our OWnu reserves are all too
low. The bunkers, if granted, would
have served, to carry this grain to the
Netherlands where, as events have
demonstrated, it was not then needed
and where it would only have served
to release equivalent fOOdstuffs for
the enemy. Such action upon our part,
whatever its intention, would in fact
have been an act beneficial to the en-,
envy and having no relation to our
friendship to the Netherlands. ..
British Ships Idle
The owners of Dutch ships were,
however, unwilling that British ships
should perform any other services
than those which it was clearly impos
This would be effected by giving re.
presentation to commerce, industry
and labor, county councils, churches.
learned institutions and peerage
Sir Horace remarks that in c0nsti-
tuting the house OF commons the ma.
tionalists. offered to guarantee forty
percent of its membership to the un-
ionists. He adds that is was agreed
that in the south OF Ireland adequate
representation for unionists could
only be secured by nomination, but
las listers representatives had in.
formed the convention that those for
whom they spoke could not accept
the principle of nomination, provision
was made in the scheme for extra re-
presentation of ulster by direct cleo.
ton