The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-21
AMERICA TAKES
over HOLLANDS
SHIPS NOW Held
IN U. 5. HARBORS.
Seventy-seven Vessels of
100000 Tons Added to
Merchant Marine
tRv Associated Press.l

her merchant marine to normal ac-
tivity, the United States government
Wednesday night requisitioned all
Dutch ships in American waters. At
| the same time, Great Britain was
taking over Dutch vessels in British
ports.
A total of n ships Of probably
100000 tons was added to the Am
| erican merchant marine by the req
uisitioning. Another 100000 tons
are put into the allied service by
Great Britain's action. Most of them
will be used in the food carrying
trade between the United States and
Europe.
President Wilson's proclamation
| taking over the ships was issued only
after word finally came from London
| that Hollands delayed reply was a
rejection Of the British American
demand. The government had waited
more than As hours beyond the time
wher Holland had been requested to
make a decision as to whether she
would carry out the original pact or
submit to requisitioning. Every eff
fort was made to avoid drastic action
as transfer by agreement was sought,
rather than by seizure, although the
| latter is an exercise of sovereign
rights justified in international law,
and practiced by all nations.
Holland Will Get Food.
Although the ships had been taken
over without any formal agreement,
| the United States proposes to carry
out scupuluously the terms of the
original pact, so that Holland shall
receive ample foodstuffs, and viii be
protected in her colonial trade by
having sufficient tonnage to main
tain it's commerce.
President Makes Statement.
President Wilson authorized
ment:
For some months the United
States and the entente allies have
been conducting negotiations with
! the Dutch government, with the OBJ
| ject of concluding a general CONNER
cial agreement.
"A very clear statement of the
character of these negotiations was
made on March IL to the Dutch
parliament by his exceIency, the
minister Of foreign affairs Of Hol-
land. AS appears from the state
ment, the discussion proceeded upon
the basis Of two fundamental prop
ositions, namely, that the United
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.
1T was the task Of the negotiators
to develop a specific application of
these propositions which would be
acceptable to the governments con-
cerned. Early in January, 1918, the
negotiators came to an understand
ing which was embodied in a tenta-
tive agreement which was submitted
to the government concerned in order
that, If acceptable, it might be rati-
fed, or, if unacceptable, a counter
proposal might be made.
Negotiations Are PROLONGED.
THE negotiations becoming pro-
longed, the Dutch delegates propos-
ed, in order that their ships might |
sooner be put into remuneratiYe ser
vice, that Dutch tonnage lying idle
in American waters,shouId, with GER
tain exceptions, be Immediately |
chartered to the United States for
periods not exceeding 80 days. This |
proposal was accepted by the United |
states government, and on Jan. 25, |
1913, the Dutch minister at WASH |
lngton handed to the secretary of |
state of the United States a note
expressing the terms of the temper |
airy chartering agreement and his |
governments acceptance thereof.
This agreement provided among |
other things, that 10000 tons Of |
Dutch shipping should at the discre-
ton of the United States be employed |
partly in the service of Belgian re- |
lief and partly for Switzerland on |
safe conduct to Cette, France. and /
that for each ship sent to Holland in |
the service Of Belgian relief, a cor /
responding vessel should leave HoI- |
land for the United States. Two
Dutch ships in the United States l
ports with cargoes of foodstuffs were /
TO proceed to Holland, similar ton /
mage being sent in exchange from i
Holland to the United States for /
charter as in the case Of other Dutch |
ships lying in the United States
ports.
Agreement Is Temporary.
The agreement was explicitly /
temporary in character, and being /
designed to meet an immediate situa-~i
ton, prompt performance was the i
essence. The Dutch government at /
once disclosed, however, that il was Il
"
agreement which it had 4
itself proposed. The first desire Of /
the United States was to secure at 4
once shipping, as contemplated by |
the agreement to TRANSPORT to L
switzerland foodstuffs much needed /
by the state. One difficulty after an \
other, however, was raised TO post 4
pone the chartering Of Dutch ships Il
Tor Swiss relief, and although the |
reason was never formally express
ed, 1t was generally known that the 1
Dutch ship owners feared lest their |
ships should be destroyed by Ger |
man submarines, even though on an
errand OF mercy and though not \
trayersing any of the so-caIIad /
danger zones proclaimed by the
German government. That this fear
was not wholly unjustihed, has. I'M
happily been shown by the recent act
OF the German government i'm sinking Il
the Spanish ship 'Sardinero' outside /
the danger zone when carrying n
cargo of grain for Switzerland. and /
after the submarine commander had /
ascertatned this fact by an fnspec-
ton Of the ships papers.
In respect Of Belgian relief. the
L,utch government expressed its
present Inability to comply with fine
agreement on the ground tbst the
German government had given HoI-
land TO understand that II vouId
torcibly prevent the departure from
Holland or the corresponding ships.
which, under the agreement, were to
leave coincidentally for the United Il
States. The Dutch government even
felt Itself unable TO secure the two
cargoeg Of foodstufEs, which. under
the agreement II was permitted to
secure since here again the German
government interviewed and threaten
ed to destroy the equivalent Dutch
tonnage which under the agreement