The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-28
GERMAN STEAM
ship LINES TO BE
SOLDATAUCTION
United States Preparing for
Action That Should Make
Kaiser Think Twice.
AWAIT CONGRESS- WORD
Affects Hamburg and North
German Lloyd.
Enormously Valuable Dock Fa-
cilities in New York to Go
to Highest Bidder. :

j
(By David Lawrence)
Copyright. 1918. by the New York
Evening Post Company
Washington, Feb. %. - America 10
! about to take q step that ought to
make Germany think twice about
whether or not the United States 10 IN
| earnest in her determination to use
her trade power as . means for fore
| ino a democratic peace. For the gov
| errment Of the United States, through
the alien property custodian, 4.
Mitchell Palmer, 10 arranging TO take
legal possession Of the Hamburg.
American and North German Lloyd
steamship lines, and II congress says
the word. the enormously valuable
dock facilities in the port Of New York
will be sold to the highest bidder.
preferably American interests.
This step, which has been long In
contemplation, has the personal ap-
provai or President Wilson. II does
not mean that the sale OF the dock
facilities. which incidentally could be
replaced by Germany only after years
OF building and the payment OF high
prices for other waterfront property.
is to be consnmmated Immediately. II
does mean, however that the govern
mcnt of the United states is about to
take over the administration OF the
two big steamship lines and control
OF their stock, and that an after-the-
war question OF prime Importance has
been raised. Tho value Of the German
line docks has been estimated to run
way up In tho millions. Certainly IL
Germany should loso them II would he
a body blow To her trade which she
expects 10 recover promptly after
peace is declared. Hut II her boats
have no docking space, Germany can
not resume trade relations the day
peace Is declared, IN she has been
planning to do.
Her statesmen have quicted the
fears OF Germany'H business men by
saying that America was blufftng and
that American solfshncHs would pre-
vent any discrimination against Ger
many after tho war.
Prevent Discrimination.
or course, tho treaty OF peace. II II
In the right kind Of peace. ms Mr. Will
Bon himself limited In recess mes
sage to congress. could prevent any
against Germany. The
president himself expressed the idea
thus:
"Tha worst that can happen to the
detrimcnt OF tho German people ts
this, that II they should still. after the
war In over, continue to bo obliged to
live under ambitioua and intriguing
unfriendiy 10 tho peace OF tho
world, mon or CLASSES OF men whom tho
other peoples of the world could not
trust, II might be impossible To admit
them to the partnership OF nations
which must henceforth guarantee the
worlds peace. II might be impossi-
bic. also. In such untownrd circufn-
stances 10 admit Germany TO the free
economic intercourse which must In
rvitabiy spring out OF the other part
norships OF a real peace
Would 30 Worst Blow.
Certainly the worst blow that could
pe struck at German trade after the
war In TO take away the valuable dock
md terminal facilities built up by her
Ines In tho past twenty years This
= the deliberate plan the United States
Intends 10 pursue II Germany does not
make her deeds square with her words
when once peace negotiations are De-
run.
InG nlnh hh1 ilN pTlElu w " thi"HF
way. Two big ships az the Hamburg
american line. now lying IN Mexican
,ortA. were sought by the u. =. ship
ing board. Bcing In neutral ports.
hey could not be seized or comman-
eored. So negotiations were entered
nto with agents OF the Hamburg
american line for the purchase OF the
esaelH. The latter set very high
rice for the ships. but declared that
he money was needed to put the docks
nd terminals In shape for the resump-
ION Of business the very day peace
'ay declared.
Wilson Took Interest
Also a fund was TO be established
y the Hamburg American line 20
Az pensions TO its employees. In
her words. 10 the United States gov
-ntnent agreed To tho deal II would be-
effect helping Germany 10 keep her
iipping organization intact during
ie war and prepare otherwise, too.
n after war trade. Holding up
10 American government for a high
ice had the opposite eject. How
.cr. President Wilson himself took a
,rsonal interest In the matter ans
,e day last week dropped IN AZ Use
len property eustodlan's ofice to- rnd
n about those docks and terminal
cllities. The result Is that the stock
the German steamship lines aid the
ilas company. which owns the Ham
lrg. American lines building at sS
will pass into the hands OF
q alien property custodian. who viii
point a board OF directors TO ad-
mister the property.
Just now the docks are being used
the war department having been
under general author
? OF congress when war was de-
ared and the officss OF the Ham<
Irg- American lines are being occu-
Cd under the same statute by the
Wy But when the war Il over thar
.thorlty ceases ard under the terms
s. the trading with the enemy act.