Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1918-03-23
TO TAKE OVER
HOLLANDS SHIPS
MORE THAN A HUNDRED YES
SELLS WITH A TOTAL TONNAGE
OF ONE MILLION INVOLVED.
U. S. GUNS ACTIVE
Great Activity Is Noted at Various
Points Along the Battle Lines
in Franes-On the Other
War Fronts.

Hollands reply to the American and
British demand that a voluntary ship
ping agreement be put into effect do
spite Germany's opposition. in default
OF which the Dutch vessels in Amerf
can and British waters would be seized
under the ancient law of angary, will
be awaited before further action il
taken by the United States govern
ment
Dispatches from The Hague Sunday
indicated that the reply was en- route.
At any rate, the addition of 1,0OO, ,000
tons of shipping to the resources en-
gagged in the fight for world freedom
will not be delayed long.
The American flag will be raised
over the 100000 tons in American
waters as soon as the transfer il
made, and the vessels will be put into
the food transport service. They win
be armed to resist the attacks of Ger
man submarines in the war zone, and
trained American gun crews will man
the guns.
A million tons of Dutch ships now
held in ports the world over through
Hollands fear of Germany's threat to
sink them if they venture out will be
brought into the service of the United
States and Great Britain on March Is.
Unless the Netherlands government
braves the menace of Germany's pres
sure and voluntarily accepts an agree
ment under which the ships would be
put in trade, the United States and
Great Britain will take them over I'M
der international law, availing them
selves of sovereign right which Ger
many herself has hitherto exercised
under the same authority.
From the American official point of
view the action is one into which the
allied governments have been forced
by the German duress of Holland,
which may now see her ships in trade
again and can point out to Germany
that they were taken through no viii
of her own.
Coming at time when the dire
need of the allied cause is for ships,
this acquisition of a million tons is OF
tremendous Importance.
Every arrangement has been made
for the compensation of The Neither
lands for the ships. They will be in
sured and armed and if any be lost
they will be replaced. Besides COM
pensation for their use, the United
States will permit the export of bread
'tuffs and cattle foods which Holland
needs sorely for her own people, and
n addition will restore the interrupt
I'd trade of Holland with her colonies
by guaranteeing bunkers for her ships
n that trade.
Probably the most ambitious of all
he attempts by the belligerents to
pierce an opposing ling has been made
~ the French troops over wide front
n the Verdun sector. The attack was
delivered after preparatory artillery
ire lasting ten hours, according to
he Berlin war office, but was checked
That the fighting was of sanguinary
haracter is indicated by the state
nent that the troops came into hand
o-hand encounters. It is claimed by
berlin that at another point in this
egion the Germans penetrated French
ositions and captured 200 prisoners,
including the staff of one battalion
At numerous points along the Brit
sh front Field Marshal Haig's men
re under heavy bombardments from
he Germans. Particularly violent has
cen the pounding of the shells along
1e Bapaume-Cambrai road, in the
carpe Valley, and around Lens.
On the American front near TouI
le Americans are ever on the alert
nd frequently open up, with their
uns against German positions and
ompel the enemy to evacuate the sec
RS under fire. Posts occupied by
lipers and listeners and nests of ma
line gunners recently have been eff
ctively taken care of by the Amerf-
IN gunners. The Germans, however,
e not permitting the men from over
,as to do all the shooting, for they
emselves are at times putting the
mericans to an extraordinary heavy
'tillery fire in which explosive shells
large caliber and gas missiles are
ed.
Russia has bowed to the central
'wers. The terms of the peace treaty
omitted by the Germans at Brest-
tovsk have been agreed to by the
I-Russian congress of soviets in spite
opposition of an important element
the Russian people.