New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-01
"Act of Violence" Against
Small Nation, Says
Government
Netherlands Stand
Not Due to Berlin
Washington Explains Gen
erous Guarantees to Pro-
tect Hollands Commerce

THE HAGUE, March 31.-Thc seizure
OF the Dutch merchantmen in American
ports is characterized by the Dutch
government, in the "OfIicial Gazette"
as can act Of violence which it will
oppose with all the energy of its con-
viction and its wounded national feel
ing The government takes issue with
the proclamation of President Wilson
regarding the decision of the United
States, saying it contains assertions
which are contrary to the facts.
The statement says.
with painful surprise the govern
ment and whole Dutch nation has
taken notice of the Presidential proc
lamation and the statement of March
20 relative to the seizure of part of
the Dutch merchant feet.
"The seizure en- bloc Of neutral
mercantile feet, if only for the dura-
ton of the war, is an act indefensible
from the viewpoint of international
law and unjustifable toward a friend
ly nation, apart from nsiderations of
legality.
Calls 1t Act OF Violence
But the manner also in which the
Presidential statement defends this
act OF violence does not contribute
toward lessening the sting thereof. for
this defence has plainly been drawn
up under the influence of complete
ly incorrect representation of affairs
The manner in which the Dutch
merchant fleet has been treated in past
months in the United States, the in
cessant difficulties placed in the way
of our saiings from American ports,
repeated refusals of bunkering facli-
ties and forced unloading of cargoes
already bought-all this may be with
In the rights of the United States
tsave one case, that of the Zeelandia,
which. with her own bunker coal. en-
tered an American port, and has been
unlawfully detained there snce).
1T surely was against the tradi-
tional friendship between the two
countries, although on this point the
Presidential statement keeps silence"
Gives Dutch View
The statement then continues:
According to President Wilson'S
proclamation the Netherlands, owing
entirely to German pressure, failed to
observe the preliminary arrangement
which was proposed for the purpose of
leaving no longer idle the Dutch ton
mage IN American ports and furnishing
an opportunity for making voyages
within q period of ninety days, pend
ing a definite agreement on Dutch ton
mage and rationng. This is distinctly
incorrect. 1t IS equally as incorrect as
the allegation that Germany had threat
ened to sink two ships which were tC
sail from Holland in exchange for two
from America which were to sail &c
Holland with Americas approval, and
that Germany had made increasing
threats to prevent both the observance
of such preliminary arrangement and
the conclusion OF a permanent one
The real facts of the case are as fol
lows:
After the (American) War Trade
Board had insisted that Dutch ships in
American por's make trips pending q
definite arral cement the Netherlands
government proposed that some of the
shlps Slou4u make voyages Tor the
Commission for Relief of Belgium
which Holland has always fostered
sedulously for the benefit of distres sed
Belgium and Northern France. Wher
information was received that Ger
many objected to Americas demanG
that q Dutch ship sail from Holland
each time in exchange for relief shr
sailing from America the Netherlands
government deemed if a duty imposed
co. inf ~
authorities thereof Immediately, SC
that q ship which was then on the way
toward Argentina could be given diff
ferent destination. The direct conse
quence was that those ships were kept
moving, which was exactly in conso
nance with the provisional agreement
Denies German Pressure
prospecting sailing to Cette France J
Swiss interest with which HOLLAND
sympathized warmly, the ship owner.
agreed thereto completely as soon a!
France gave assurances that the ship.
would not be detained at Cette Ac
cordingly, several ships were chartered
. for this service. The c1arterings ant
sailings Of all these ships were no.
sensibly delayed by the aforemen-
toned objections; neither did Ger
many attempt to influence the cxccu
ton OF the provisional agreement
which affected traffic between trans
Atlantic ports. What did scri ously in
terfere with it's execution was the fac
that cableg4ams 10 and from ship own
ers were extremely slow in transmits
sion and sometimes never were deliv
cred. The cause Of this remains uncx
planned.
"The fact IL that majority Of TIL
ships had been chartered under the pro
visional agreement through the Wa
Trade Board, and part were alread
sailing 70 South America, but wer
stopped en- route by the American au
thorities, while in the Pacific ships ply
ing between the western coast Of tn
20