Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-01
DUTCH THREATEN
ON SHIP SEIZURE
"Violence Will Be Opposed
With Energy Is
Statement
CALLED UNJUsTIFIABLE
Wilson's Declaration Misstates
Facts, Is Charge Made in
Official Gazette


The Hague, April 1.
The Government OF Holland. in a
statement published In the Ohicial Ca
Kette. characterizes the seizure OF the
Dutch merchant ships in American
ports rs AN act or violence, whlch "
Will oppose with an the energy ol lts
cpnvlct,on ana lts Wounueo national
tesnns; Inc SoVernIlent eahes issus .s
VIII Win the proSlaIhation o. Iies,usns ~ .,.s
s wAsvn ss resarulns wy '.sN, ueossiJn v. ... a.,s
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Cau III indeiensiDie ACT
The seizure en- bloc OF neutral mer-
camille feet, II only for the duration
Of the war. is an act indefensible from
the viewpoint OF international law and
unjustinabie toward a friendly nation,
apart frcn considerations OF legality.
'sBut the manner also IN which the
presidential statement defends this act
~ vtoIence does not contributa toward
iessen,ng tne s.ing tnereot' Tor thls oe-
~. 9.as,ss. - Deen .'.i..~,.. ~ il'nna..
~ ..s u oonp'o'eiS i'e"i'e''
.s-.ss - .',a,n,, a.,
tuS ,,ianer sa.i' III wlioi, .hs pu'eh nler.
--snaae --.,.... Heee mas psen 'resteu IN pss'
wnon.ns w ~ tne Oni.ed states' the IN
csss~la a,lIlcuitles ICES placed IN the way OF
our snss .roin amerlcan ports. re-
pesteu retusals OF ounkering facilities
and forced unloading OF cargoes already
Dougnt - all this may be within the
rights OF the United states (save ore
case-tnat OF the Zeelandia, which. with
her own bunker coal entered an Ameri-
can port and has been unNw,dlly de-
tanned there since).
TT surely was against the traditional
friendship between the two countries. al
though on this point the presidential
statement keeps silence"
According 10 President Wilson's ,,roc-
lanation, the Netherlands. ovvinv an
firely to German pressure failed 70 oh
serve the preliminary arrangsr,en+
which was proposed for the purpose Of
leaving no longer idle the D,,tch ton-
mage in American ports and furniship1
an opportunity for making vova 0es
within a period Of ninety davs nendIng
definite agreement on Dutcb tonrage
and rationing. This Ia distlnotiv incor-
rect.
e'se"eh's are incorrect
,..s,,.s .S.as a. ,ncorIect as tne al.
~ ssrl1 ,-.o sh,,.s s'.,s,.. "u .n' rs,,
fvor, Ho,Isna. svitb Xr,sr,os, 70 saii
/, ma that r,ern,snS, had y,sSa ,naInas,s,,
tErs.t~ 81 rra,,a-. hssh 80. neI- inei enslils
~ s,,cb nreiIrnInarv ARA ose,'ss,,, -
the cor.,I,,sion ~ nsru,ar-ent n,,a TI,a
real facts on the case ire as foIlows
aAffer tha fAmerican, wsr tr.aa
hoard bad insisted tbst D,,,r, 1T. a.,
Anerican norris, make trims r.,a,ps =
deflnite arrangement the Netherjanss
Government proposed that some m Inc
ships should make voyages for the Conn
mission for Relief in Belgium which
Holland has always fostered sedulousIv
for the benefit OF distressed Belgium
and northern France. When Information
was received that Germany objected 10
Americas deoand that a Dutch shin
sail from Holland earh,tIrne in.extnansse
for relief ship sailing from America.
the Netherlands Government deemed il
a duty imposed by good faith to inform
the American authorities thereof i'm
medlately so that ship that was then
on the way toward Argentina could be
given a different destination. The di-
rect consequence was that those ships
we're kept moving, which was exactly in
consonance with the provisional agree
ment
Germany Did Not interfere
..p..rect,ns saiIines n c,st,a tu,-a.,
a swiss interest with which HoiI.nS
sympathized warmly, the ship owners
~ ,' s'o n ovpsey as soon as
.,s ~ sa,at.,ns ~ r.n.. me shlps
.",,s -. oara, shs,,s 80. as Aesoru- rl
49, ,r,-.,,cs r-ha ohas.e-,.1 la s ssiso LOT
.s ~ ~, .h.sa sts,,' anu SAL ~
..ss-,sd - ~, ths REPRESENTATIVES, ny Sensioly
rs,,iar Ala c:srn,s nv s,,a,,.,, y.
- a.e,,..s..' . ~''e.''pt 70 IN,
...,...s ,,tt.h $780,, ..o a.
stle1.sss ss,,s an s,i,c petween
.s.'- LII, a.. -,.,',.s., uau
~. as,,s ,,,.s~sses 80 a,,S s... snc s lsSt
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..,.ss ,,,it1,a,,. a,, ir,ne,ir,..,t ,srec,
,,,ssi.c, ~, the Ns,hsr,snSs eove,.,,'
ment The shlos now An British ports
IN and outside Europe and in the Portu-