The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-21
WILSON PROCLAMATION
UPON u. S. TAKING OVER
idle SHIPS OF HOLLAND

land merchantmen by the United
states government, President Wilson
last night issued the following procla-
nation setting forth the reasons for
such action and the results to be oh
tanned thereby:
tb z OF some months the United States and
Inc Tue entente allies have been conducting
negotiations with the Dutch government
with the object of concluding a general
commercial agreement.
Of Yer. very clear statement of the character
~ .nese negotiations was made on March
y - TO the Dutch parliament by His Excel
iHgnGfy, the minister of foreign affairs of
the discussion proceeded upon the basis of
Two Two fundamental propositions namely, that
fn ne United States and the allies should
ffa aodn. the importation into Holland of
| ttooustuIfs and other commodities required
isnd sbdala her economic life and that HoI
normal condition of activity.
Reached Agreement in January.
~ ~ was the task of the negotiators to de-
eeiop specific application of thes prop
povapnsno when would be acceptable to the
Eariy In January, 1918, the negotiators
! 6aHe 70 an understanding which was en-
| 1879 Hreu III u tentative agreement which was
submitted to the governments concerned in
f Srder that, if acceptab BILE, it might be rati-
might he II Unacceptable, counter proposal
n, Inc negotiations becoming prolonged the
ships might sooner be put into remnnera
| IN service, that Dutch tonnage lying idle
EXCEPTIONS be waters should with certain
ninetV d so.ales 10, Ior periods not exceeding
by the qn9 Sted This proposal was accepted
TW1 n1kiy ., 1918. the Dutch minister at
vas " atsnlRgton handed to the secretary of
state of the United States note expressing
the terms of the temporary charterins
easement aeeaae and his governments acceptance
Allotted U. S. $50, 900 Tons
This agreement provided. among other
sboniS' tnat 10000 tons of Dutch shipping
States. be- me1o discretion of the United
o oI beiglan relief and partly for Switzerland
on safe conduct to Cette, France and that
of Belgian relief, a corresponding vessel
should d leave Holland for the United States.
with cargoes of foodstuffs were TO nraceed
e eU hhoLand similar tonnage being sent in
for cha Ell from Holland TO the United States
shi,S HdiC yer as IN the case of other Dutch
Tba iyang IN the United States ports
porarv dig * ehnha was explicitly tenn
to meet an immediate situation. prempt
| Pp9 ntch nance was of the essence. The
| ever, That 1t was unwilling or unabIa to
carry out this chartering agreement which
Of t naa user user proposed. The first desire
Snipplng as contemplated by the agree
ntt,ff to transport to Switzerland, food
S SUITS much needed by the state one
dlf1lculty after another was. however.
| I nnset 10 postpone the chartering of
t Retc raa s ships for Swiss relief and altho
| II was generally known that the Dutch
snip owners feared lest their ships should
| tho on an errand of mercy and tho not
| t tnnne any of the so-caIled danger
eminent: That this fear was not wholly
| unJushfled has unhappily been shown by
IN tne recent act of the German government
| side the danger zone" when CARRYING
| cargo of grain for Switzerland, and after
| the submarine commander ascertaiped this
|
| Germany Threatens Holland.
| In respect to Belgian relief the Dutch
government expressed its present inability
to comply with the agreement on the
| ground that the German government had
given Holland to understand that it would
land of the corresponding ships which
! under the agreement were to leave coin
| cidentally for the United States
| The Dutch government even felt itself
unable to secure the two cargoes of food
| stuffs, which, under the agreement it was
| German government interviewed and threat
| ened to destroy the equivalent in Dutch
| tonnage, which under the agreement was
| to leave Holland for the United States.
| Nearly two months have elapsed since
| the making of the temporary chartering
agreement and the proposed general agree
on the part of Holland. Meanwhile Ger
man. threats have grown more violent with
| a view to preventing any permanent
agreement and of forcing Holland to vio-
late any temporary agreement
| Reply Unacceptable.
| On March Z thru Great Britain final
| proposal expiring on March Is was sub
mitted to Holland. A reply has been re-
ceived. which, while in itself unacceptable;
as a basis for further negotiations. But
the events to which I have alluded had
we have been attempting to negotiate
where the essential oasis for an agreement,
sent. Even were an agreement concluded,
| there is lacking that power of Independent
action which alone can assure perform
ance.
| I say this, not in criticism of the Dutch
government I profoundly sympathize
der the menace of a military power which
has in every way demonstrated its d1sda1n
of n Fact eRe no is left tn
| us but to accomplish thru the exercise of
our indisputable rights as a sovereign, that
| cumstances we could be confident of ac-
| complishing by agreement
| Send Food to Holland.
| Stems are accordingly being taken to put
into our service Dutch ships lying within
our territorial jurisdiction. This action
| on our part and tie similar action which is
us leaves to Holland ample tonnage for her
domestic and colonial needs. We have in
| colonial trade will be facilitated and that
she may at once send ships from Holland
| pie require. These ships will be freely
punkered and will be free from detention on
l part. Inc liner New Amsterdam
which came within our Jurisdiction under
| an agreement for her return will of course,
be permitted at once to return to Holland.
Not only so, but she will authorized to
carry back with her the two cargoes of
foodstuffs which Holland would have
cured under the temporary chartering
| agreement had not Germany prevented.
Ample compensation will be paid to the
| Dutch owners of the ships which will be
put into our service and suitable provision
| will be made to meet the possibility of the
ships being lost thru enemy Intervention.
| Friendship for Holland.
1t is our earnest desire to safeguard to
| the fullest extent the interests of Holland
and of her nationals. By exercising in this
crisis our admitted right to control all
property within our territory we do
| wrong to Holland The manner in which
we proposed to exercise this right and
! ma Holland