The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-04-05
ONITEDSTAFESTO =.
seek To- PROTECT
NEUTRAL COUNTRIES
This Nation is willing 10 Go
Farther Than Original Prom
) .. lse Made Switzerland
WILL FIND MEANS FOR
., aD0DGIMGt SUBMARINES
II Necessary WIN Land Grain and,
Other Food Stuffs In
France and Transship

WASHINGTON, April 4-(Assoeiat-
ed Press) In its ,endeavors to protect
the European neutrals from the conse,
Quences of the German ruthlessness in
the use of her submarines, the United
states is preparing to go further than
her original promises in her effort to
supply. switzerland with gran and 9th
or food stuff. --.''-
, II necessary, the supplies for the
swiss will be landed Mt u French At.
aatic port and transshipped across
france by rail,
BY the swiss American agreement of
December 5, the Allies guaranteed to
WtLer1Tnd for its. admittedly urgent
leeds an eight months supply of 30,
OG0 tons of cereals, subject TO the as
umptiOl that Germany would safe
onduct theAsupply ships as spec ed
n Its proclamation on ruthless subma-
rining, which provided safe route to
the Mediterranean port Of Cette, and
promised that submarines would not
MODEST such vessels. -
Grain First Allocated To Allies
To accelerate, delivery and provide
for Immediate .neeessities before grain
rom the Argentine. the natural source
f supply, could reach Switzerland, the
War Trade Board even procured from
the scanty supplies in this country 80,
90 tons of grain which had been car
mark ed for the Allies and aeoeated il
10 Switzerland, arranging to replace II
later 1hyl grain from the Argentine, and
had further proved its good faith and
desire to help out dependent neutrals
by. successful efforts to secure tonnage
to, transport the grnin. The plans even
c contemplated bringing the ship back in
ballast from Cette to accelerate ship
ments and remove any pretext for Ger
map, submarine. Interference with the
ships either Going or coming.
II is hoped that Switzerland and
other hentrals will contrast the respec
tive attitudes of Germany and the
United States toward the problem Of
feeding the neutraIs and will take due
notice of this latest attempt Of Ger
many to infimidate neutral shipown
erS, through Tntblcss submarining,' from
carrying food to Switzerland -.
Wishes To Weaken Postwar Rivalry
Further Indications tend to show tina {;
tile submarines are being used, along
similar dog in the ntanger lines, to de
stroy neutral shipping without regarn
to its employment in order to weaken
neutral competitors afteI
the war and to drag down neutral ton
mage as far as possible toward a posi-
tion of equality Tor inferiority) wit
the German mercantile marine. which
aas lost between four aud fifty per
cent of its ocean, tonnage, so that thu
neutral trader may be equally as badly
OF as his German rival for tonnage in
the after the war race for commerce.
No other Interpretation can be placed
for example, upon the repeated in
stances of destruction of neutral Dan
ish ships on voyages between Iceland
md the Danish mother country, en-
tirely outside of the war zone, nor up
OnJ the multitudinOns mistakes, .
Dutch and other neutral ships
,hnging to the pret arious marrow way
eft open through the prohibited zone
IRE torpedoed outside the zone byIU
,Oat commanders, whose word that the
Iessels were within, the zonG is later
accepted upquestioHed by the German
,JriEe courts.
Prominent shipOWners in ScandiHav
an countries have stated their belief
bat many sinkings were inspired only
ny the intention to get rid Of neutra
Onnage 30 an to increase the relative
value Of German shipping available at