The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-03
DUTCH SHOW ANGER.
SElZURE OF SHIPPING DENOUNC.
ED AS INDEFENSIBLE.
Official statement Says Holland Will
Resist Action OF United Sttacs With
All the Energy of Its Convictions
and Wounded Feelings.

The Hague, Saturday, March 3O.-
The seizure of the Dutch merchant
men in American ports is character
lied by the Dutch government, in a
statement in The Official Gazette, as
an act Of violence which it will op-
pose with all the energy of it's convic-
tion and it's wounded national feelings.
The government takes issue with the
proclamation of President Wilson re-
garding 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 TAX
EN- notice of the presidential procla-
nation and the statement of March 20
relative to the seizure Of part Of the
Dutch merchant fleet.
The seizure en- bloc of a neutral
merchant fleet, II only for the dura-
tion of the war, is an act indefensible
from the viewpoint of international
law and unjustifiable towards friend
" nation, apart from considerations
OF legality.
But the manner also in which the
presidential statement defends this
act Of violence does not contribute to-
ward lessening the sting thereof, for
this defense has plainly been drawn
up under the influence OF a COM
pletely incorrect representation of af-
fairs.
THE manner in which the Dutch
merchant fleet has been treated in
the past month in the United States,
the incessant difficulties placed in the
way of our sailings from American
ports, repeated refusals of bunkering
facilities and forced unloading Of
cargoes already bought--all this may
be within the rights of the United
States tsave one case that of the
Zcelandia.) which with her own bunk
er coal entered an American port and
has been uniawfully detained there
since.
1t surely was against the tradi-
tional friendship between the two
countries, although on this point the
presidents statement is silent.
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
tonnage in American ports and fur
ntshing an opportunity for making
voyages within a period of 90 days,
pending definite agreement on Dutch
tonnage and rationing. This is dis
tinctly incorrect.
1T Is equally as incorrect as the al
legation that Germany had threatened
to sink two ships which were to sal.
from Holland with American approx
al. and that Germany has made in
creasing threats to prevent both the
observance of such a preliminary ar
rangement and the conclusion of .
permanent one. The real facts of the
case are as follows:
After the (American) war trade
board had insisted that Dutch ships
In American ports make trips pend
ing "a definite arrangement, the Meth
erlands government proposed that
some OF the ships should make voy-
ages for the commission Of relief in
Belgium. which Holland has always
fostered sedulously. When informa-
tion was received that Germany OBJ
Jected to Americas demand that Il
Dutch ship sail from Holland each
time in exchange for relief ship sail
ing from America. the Netherlands
government deemed II q duty imposed
by good faith to inform the Amer
lean authorities so that q ship which
was then on the way towards Argen-
tina could be given different dest
nation. The direct consequence was
that those ships were kept moving
which was exactly in consonance with
the provisional agreement.
Respecting sailing to Cette
France. Swiss interest. with which
Holland sympathized, the ship own
ers agreed thereto completely as soon
as France gave assurances that the
ships would not be detained at Cette
Accordingly, several ships were char.
tered for this service. The charter
ings and sailings of all these ship.
were not sensibly delayed by the afore
mentioned objections. Neither die
Germany attempt to influence the exc
cutiOn of the provisional agreemen.