Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-06

united states; that 1t will limit its ex-
portation of fish and fish products to
the Central Powers to $4,000 tons
annually, (the previous annual ex-
port amounted to about 2150,o 900
tons); that in exporting to neutrals.
Norway will require guarantees that
such exported goods do not reach the
Central Powers: that where machin-
cry. coal. oil, kerosene or other aux
iliaries imported from the United
States were used in. producing COM
modities in. Norway; that Norway
would institute a rationing system.
Before the Norwegian government
tentatively accepted these terms, one
Of the influential Christiania papers
said: This document which ought
to be published, contains sections
which do not show any very profound
understanding of the position, and in
terests Of small neutral nations" :
Method Thought Unique.
The fact that the American propos-
al was published before the Norwe-
gian government wal given an OPP
portunity to reply. called forth some
very bitter comments. and the meth
cd of premature publication was sar-
castically referred to as "a unique
made in the Norwegian press to GER
tain passages in Washington's Fare
well Address, which was quoted in
/ support of the contention that a neu-
trail nation has the right to trade with
whomsoever 1t pleases. and that 1t
cannot remain neutral unless this be
taken for granted.
February 5 the Norwegian answer
to the American proposal was pub
lished in Norway. and comments re-
Vealed the existence of a somewhat
resigned Notwithstanding like
this: ut is injurious to our welfare
as a neutral nation. but as there
seems to be no other way out of the
dtHculty. we nay as we'll accept it
without kicking too much"
One paper. in reluctantly accepting
the American terms. said:
I'm view Of the fact that much
more favorable terms have been Of
cred to Switzerland and Denmark. it
Is reasonable to be astonished at the
far more stringent regulations inn
posed upon Norway's trade with Am
erica"
! The Aftenposten simply remarks
that whether the agreement be per-
manently accepted or not. Norway is
confronted with starvation. and the
Oerebladet concludes from a study Of
the documents that Norwsy is asked
to concede to America thrice as much
as America is willing to concede to
Norway.
Back OF ell comments during the
long period Of negotiations is the
ever recurring contention that Nor
undoubted rights to trade. with Ger
many as with America. Time and
assin it has been pointed out that the
United States maintained. commerce
with both the allies and the Central
Powers before April 6, 1917. and
that such trade would have been
much more important had It been
possible to reach Germany direct.
Economic and political writer's in
ing that the United States had failed
to understand the true position OF a
neutral country. in. that 1t demanded
privileged Concessions with a view to
entirely excluding the Central Pow
ers from its commercial field. When
Norway stops trade with Germany,
It violates its neutrality. is the key
note Of these comments.
View of German preB
Naturally. the German press did
1pt omit any opportunity to criticize
Norway ais soon as 1t became known
that tentative agreement between
tered into-that agreement which has
now. become permanent, and the
N~orddeutsche Allgemeine Zeituns
was especially malevolent in it, com
ments, saying that by agreeing to the
American terms Norway had receded
from her neutral attitude and must be
ready to accept the consequences.
The Hamburger F~remdenblatt spoke
in a similar vein, and in March the
central Einkauf Gesellschatt, which,
had been conducting most Of the
German commerce with Norway,
cancelled all it's contracts because It
realized that the trade Of the future
would amount To- 90 little that It
would be folly TO conduct further
business.
: The problem Of the rights Of neu-
trails u one that ID 5appermost In
many minds 1t the present time It
seems that those rights are ldeAnedi
IN accordance With the end which
the DEFINITION made by one group or
the other sees NJ 70 make II serve.
Frequently the statement has been
made that the ultimate object of the
trUde policy OF the United States and
the allied powers - TO force al the
neutral countries into the war against