The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-21


 her colonial trade by having sufficient tonnage to maintain Its commerce.
 PRESIDENTS STATEMENT
 President Wilson authorized tonight the following statement:
 For some months the United States and the entente allies have been con- ducting negotiations with the Dutch government with the object of conclud- ing general commercial agreement
 "A very clear statements of the char acter of these negotiations was made on March 12. to the Dutch Parliament by his excellency. the minister of for eign affairs of Holland. As appears from the statement, the discussion pro- ceeded! upon the basis of two funda- mental principles, namely, that the United States and allies should facili- tate the importation into Holland of foodstuffs and other commodities re- quired to maintain her economic life and that Holland should restore her merchant marine to a normal condition of activity.
 "It was the task of the negotiations to develop specific application of these propositions which would be ac- certable to the governments con- cerned.
 Early in January, 1918, the nego- tiators came to an understanding which was embodied in a tentative agree ment, which was submitted to the gov ernments concerned in order that, if ac- ceptable 1t might be ratified, or, if un- acceptable, counter proposal might be made.
 PROLONGED NEGOTIATION "The negotiations becoming pro- longed, the Dutch delegates proposed. in order that their ships sooner be put into renfdnerative service, that Dutch tonnage lying idle in American waters should, with certain exceptions, be inn mediately chartered to the United States note expressing the terms of the temporary chartering agreement and his governments acceptance there- for.
 This agreement provided among other things, that 150,00o tons of Dutch shipping should at the discretion of the United States be employed partly in the service of Belgian relief and partly 1 for Switzerland on safe conduct to Cette, France, and that for each ship sent to Holland in the service of Bel gian relief, corresponding vessel should leave Holland for the United Stetes. Two Dutch ships in the United l States ports with cargoes of foodstuffs 1 were to proceed to Holland, similar ton Inage being sent in eXcnanSe from HOT land to the United States for charter as in the case of other Dutch ships ly- l ing in the United States ports TEMPORARY AGREEMENT l .The agreement was explicitly tenn l porary in character and, being de- signed to meet an immediate situation, prompt performance was of the eS- ] sence, The Dutch government at once l disclosed, however that it was un- willing or unable to carry out this chartering agreement which 1t had it. | self proposed. The first desire of the | United States was to secure at once shipping, as contemplated by the 1 agreement, to transport to Switzerland | foodstuffs much needed by that state, I One difficulty after another was raised, | howev to postpone the chartering of Dutch ships for Swiss relief and, al. 1 though the reason was never formally expressed, 1t was generally known l that the Dutch shipowners feared lest l their ships should be destroyed by i German submarines. even though on
 an errand of mercy, and though not 1 traversing any of the so-called "dan-
 ger zones'' proclaimed by the German government. That this fear was not wholly unjustified has unhappily been
 shown by the recent act of the Ger
 man government In sinking the Span l ish ship 'Sardinero' outside the dan 1 ser zone when carrying cargo oi