Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-20
PRESIDENT WORKS
ONSH|P PROBLEM
Trade and Food Distribution
important Matters to
Be Considered.
ADVICE FROM Mr.. HURLEY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright by New York Evening Post.)
PARIS, December 9.-President
Wilson and Edward N. Hurley, chair
man of the United States Shipping
Board, are canvassing the shipping sit
uation, which embraces numerous
phases of world reconstruction-trade,
economic recuperation and food dis
tribution.
The allies are gettin,' ~ady to ask the
central powers to turn over the German
and Austrian merchant tonnage to carry
food to any place the allies want to send
It. but the American position remains
undetermined until it is agreed how the
distribution Of food is to be admins
| tered.
Some Misunderstanding.
Some Austrian ships have already been
requisitioned by Italy through misun-
derstanding, and when Italian crews en-
deayored to man other Austrian vessels
in Spanish ports the French and British
naval commanders persuaded them not
to do So Such Observation-Disclosures are
now being Strengthened out in the con-
| ferenceS here.
Another vital question is the desire OF
the allies to begin Immediately a large
amount of new reconstruction IN Amer
lean shiDyards. The French, partcu-
| larly, are anxious to build up their mer-
mercy of other nations in freight rates.
Here a league of nations and freedom OF
| the seas would protect them, but until
absolutely assured that such an associa-
ton is going to be put into effect they
feel the necessity OF placing orders.
The problem which Mr.. Wilson must
decide is to what uses American ship
| yards are to be placed, and ne has not
| determined whether our facilities Will
be needed to build a large American
that no agreement be made with re-
spect to league of nations-or
whether America can afford to open
her shipyards. as we'll as her other re-
sources, to the world, feeling that
there will be no determinations
abroad against American industry or
other barriers, because all countries
will have agreed to act in league
of nations with equal opportunities.
Allies Want Free Hand.
An important conference is planned
Hurley. Lord Reading, the French
minister Of commerce and the Italian
marine representative will seek to de-
termine what will be required of Ger
many and Austria with respect to
their merchant tonnage. Unquestion-
ably it will be used somewhat for the
carrying of food. but the allies want
a free hand, so as to be able to send
these ships to various parts of the
world, using vessels of their own to
transport food to needy areas. The
President is very much interested in
getting American cargo ships hitherto
used to carry war material to Europe
released to meet the demand of
American exporters and importers for
| the resumption of normal trade.
Tied up with questions of shipping
are vital matters with respect to ac-
cess to raw materials and apparently
| the outcome of the informal meetings
between Mr. Wilson and leaders of
the entente powers in the course of
| the next ten days will guide the
President in shaping American policy.
In the meantime Mr.. Hurley and
our special shipping commissioner
Thomas F. Logan of Washington, are
discussing with Lord Reading and
REPRESENTATIVES of Italy and France
solutions Of these vexed problems
with the expectation of reaching def
mite agreements by the 1st of January